Fisher-Titus earns award for STEMI treatment

Fisher-Titus has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Bronze Receiving Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

“We are pleased to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing exceptional care for heart attack patients in our community,” said Dr. Brent Burkey, president and CEO of Fisher-Titus. “The Mission:

Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, so patients have the best possible chance of survival.

“Thanks to the hard work of our Fisher-Titus Heart & Vascular, Emergency Department, North Central EMS, and other local EMS crews, we are proud to offer this level of care close to home for the communities we serve.”

Each year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment, according to a news release.

To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication, the release said.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport, and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge.

Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS, and health care system.

“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said Dr. Tim Henry, chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can save precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient.”

Program participants apply for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care for STEMI patients.

Since implementing the Level II Adult Cardiac Cath Lab in February 2019, Fisher-Titus has performed 199 emergency and 118 nonemergent interventional cardiac procedures as well as 553 diagnostic procedures, the release said.

Additionally, Fisher-Titus Heart & Vascular continues to improve on their door-toballoon times for patients needing emergency stenting, the release said.

Door-to-balloon time is the time it takes from the patient arriving at the hospital to the cardiovascular team intervening to open the blockage, according to the release.