April 29, 2015
Trans Am Ambulance Services has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Silver Award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience a STEMI, or ST elevation myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication.
Mission: Lifeline seeks to save lives by closing the gaps that separate STEMI patients from timely access to appropriate treatments. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency responders for their efforts in improving STEMI 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 the entire year, and treat at least eight STEMI patients for the year.
Trans Am Ambulance Services was a local leader and early adopter of 12-lead EKG cardiac monitoring data transmissions. In 2010, Trans Am Ambulance Services purchased a 12-lead transmission server to transmit a patient’s cardiac data to the closest hospital with a catheterization lab in advance of the patient arriving in the ambulance. This allows the emergency department staff to begin preparing for the patient and be ready to immediately begin treatment upon arrival. Trans Am continues to host the transmission server at its facility and also has opened the transmission system to other local first responder agencies using compatible MRX HeartStart cardiac monitors.
“In the past year, Trans Am Ambulance Services has identified and transported more than 290 patients with chest pain and approximately 20 of those patients were identified as STEMI heart attacks,” said Todd Reisner, general manager of Trans Am. “In treating cardiac patients, time is the greatest enemy. Our highly-trained staff responds quickly, identifies patients with a STEMI and efficiently treats and transports cardiac patients. The communication of EKG data through our transmission technology has helped reduce the time from the hospital emergency department door to intervention in STEMI patients, which ultimately saves lives.”
Emergency medical services providers are vital to the success of Mission: Lifeline. EMS agencies provide access to 12-lead EKG machines (devices that measures the electrical activity of the heartbeat and can help medical personnel determine if a heart attack has occurred), and follow protocols derived from American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines. The correct tools and training allow EMS providers to rapidly identify STEMI, promptly notify the medical center and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.
“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can shave precious minutes of lifesaving treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals. We applaud Trans Am Ambulance Services for achieving this award that shows it meets evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”
“Trans Am is pleased to be recognized for our agency’s dedication and achievements in emergency medical care for STEMI patients,” Reisner said. “Trans Am is dedicated to providing the best emergency cardiac response for our area, and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program keeps our focus on continually improving STEMI systems of care with the goal of improving the quality of care for all STEMI patients.”
This is the second year that EMS agencies have been eligible for the Mission: Lifeline recognition.
About Trans Am Ambulance Services
For more than 30 years, the Reisner family and the excellent Trans Am staff have provided the highest quality ambulance service to Cattaraugus County and the Village and Town of Cuba in Allegany County in west Upstate New York. The company also serves customers in McKean and Potter counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. Every Trans Am medical vehicle is staffed with highly skilled certified paramedics and EMTs who are trained in the latest lifesaving technology and emergency protocols. Trans Am is integrally connected to the fabric of the community. We understand we serve the community best when we support causes and events that matter to those who live here. Trans Am is a regional branch of the national Priority Ambulance network.
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 STEMI 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/missionlifeline and heart.org/quality.
About Priority Ambulance
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Priority Ambulance provides the highest level of clinical excellence in emergency and nonemergency medical care to the communities it serves. Throughout its national service area, more than 600 highly trained paramedics, EMTs and telecommunicators staff approximately 100 state-of-the-art ambulances with the latest medical equipment and technology.
Priority Ambulance provides emergency and nonemergency medical transport options to communities in Tennessee, Alabama, New York, Pennsylvania and Indiana. Operating as Priority Ambulance, the company serves Knox, Loudon and Blount counties in East Tennessee. Priority Ambulance operates as Kunkel Ambulance in Utica, N.Y.; as Trans Am Ambulance in Olean, N.Y.; as Shoals Ambulance in Alabama; and as Seals Ambulance in the Greater Indianapolis area.