The Hartford Hospital STEMI Team Sets a Record and Saves Lives
January 17, 2011
On January 17 2011, Alfred Cecchini, a 47 year old barber who lives in South Windsor, experienced a substernal chest pain after working out in the gym. He immediately called 911. Alfred was ultimately successfully treated for acute myocardial infarction in the HH Catheterization Laboratory. His blocked coronary artery was opened with a stent with a record door-to-balloon time of 26 minutes.
The Hartford Hospital pre-hospital ECG STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) initiative, a multidisciplinary project involving
Cardiology,
Emergency Department and
Emergency Medical Services, was introduced as a pilot initiative at Hartford Hospital in 2008.
The original single center and single provider system has evolved into the multicenter, regional STEMI network including 3 major hospitals within
Hartford HealthCare (Hartford Hospital,
MidState Medical Center and
Windham Hospital) and multiple EMS providers. The ultimate goal is to develop a state wide STEMI Network to facilitate rapid diagnosis, triage and timely treatment of STEMI patients in the region.
The Hartford Hospital STEMI Team utilizes an organized response system between the hospital and local paramedics. Hartford Hospital was the first hospital in Connecticut that implemented this advanced technology, which reduces precious time in treatment during the most critical period of a heart attack - when every minute counts.
The pre-hospital ECG, obtained by the first responders, is securely transmitted to Hartford Hospital’s Emergency Department. The pre-hospital ECG data determines whether the patient is suffering from a STEMI (medically known as a ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction).
If the diagnosis is confirmed, the Hospital’s
Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory immediately begins preparing for the patient’s arrival so emergency catheter-based intervention can be initiated immediately upon the patient’s arrival, bypassing several delaying steps.
The Hospital’s goal is to minimize the time it takes to treat a patient experiencing a cardiac emergency, as each 15-minute segment saved during this period is associated with 6.3 fewer deaths per 1,000 patients, according to the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction.
Watch this video:
www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/health/Ambulance_EKG_Hartford.html