New EMS Equipment Will Speed Up Treatment Time For Heart Attack Victims

Towson, Md. (November 2, 2009) - When a patient suffers a heart attack, survival often depends on how fast he or she receives treatment. This week, Baltimore County emergency medical personnel will add technology to some of their equipment that will significantly speed up the treatment time for heart attack victims.

Franklin Square Hospital Center has purchased and donated to the Baltimore County Fire Department 12 LIFENET electrocardiogram (EKG) transmission devices.

A press event that will explain in detail the purpose and function of the new LIFENET devices is scheduled next Thursday, November 5, 10 a.m., in the Kotzen Auditorium at Franklin Square Hospital Center, 9000 Franklin Square Drive, 21237.

Normally, doctors do not see the vital information contained in a patient's EKG until he or she gets to the hospital. Using these devices, which affix to emergency medical providers' cardiac monitors, paramedics can transmit the patient's EKG from the incident scene to a hospital equipped to perform primary angioplasty. Doctors can examine the EKG and alert the catheterization team prior to the patients' arrival at the hospital.  This early notification can make a dramatic difference in the time a patient receives potentially life-saving intervention.

Reducing A Patient's Door-To-Balloon Time

Emergency medical personnel will be able to transmit EKG information to two other hospitals besides Franklin Square: St. Joseph's Medical Center in Towson and Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Harford County. This technology is not new to Baltimore County EMS providers.  St. Joseph's Medical Center purchased 15 of these devices around one year ago, and they have been instrumental in reducing intervention time at that facility. With Franklin Square's purchase, the scope of patients served by this technology will expand.

"The bottom line is that we're reducing the patient's door-to-balloon time, the time it takes to get life-saving circulation to the area of the heart that has been blocked," said Kyrle Preis III, the Fire Department's Director of Emergency Medical Services.

Franklin Square paid $3,816 for the 12 transmission systems and donated them to the Fire Department. The devices will be carried on career medic units from Essex, Middle River, Eastview, Golden Ring, Chase and Back River Neck and on volunteer medics from White Marsh, Rosedale, Kingsville, Middle River Volunteer Ambulance-Rescue.

For information, call Ming Tai of MedStar Health public affairs, 443-777-7483 or 410-491-0195.