Sedgwick County EMS has been awarded the Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Recognition Award by the American Heart Association (AHA) for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks. The AHA recognized EMS and its public safety partners on Thursday, June 16.
This year, more than 250,000 people in the United States will experience the most deadly type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires rapid recognition and treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow to the heart as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients don't receive prompt reperfusion therapy, which is critical in restoring blood flow. Mission: Lifeline seeks to save lives by closing the gaps that separate these patients from timely access to appropriate treatments. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency medical services for their efforts in improving systems of care and improving the quality of life for these patients.
Agencies that receive the Mission: Lifeline Silver award have demonstrated at least 75 percent compliance for each required achievement measure for a period of one year.
“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said James Jollis, M.D., Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Advisory Working Group. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can shave precious minutes of life-saving treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals. We applaud Sedgwick County EMS for achieving this award that shows it meets evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”
Dr. John Gallagher Sedgwick County EMS System Medical Director said “Sedgwick County EMS is dedicated to making our service among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that by implementing processes for improving systems of care with the goal of improving the quality of care for all acute coronary syndrome patients. ” He continued, “we are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in emergency medical care for all cardiac patients.”
About Sedgwick County EMS
SCEMS is the primary agency responsible for the out-of-hospital care and transportation of persons who become acutely ill or injured, and are in need of ambulance transport to a hospital using advanced life support (ALS) ambulances. Each year SCEMS responds to over 64,000 calls for help from the citizens of and visitors to Sedgwick County . For more information, visit sedgwickcounty.org/ems
About Mission: Lifeline
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for acute coronary syndrome patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.
For more information about the award, contact: Col. Malachi Winters
Sedgwick County EMS
316.660.7984