News and Updates

REMSA Health was recently awarded the American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline – EMS -Gold Plus Award for recognition of the quality care we continue to provide to ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients. This recognition becomes our sixth American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline EMS Award and our fourth Gold Plus Award.

To receive this distinguished award, REMSA Health ground crews had to meet all Mission: Lifeline EMS quality measures of criteria with a 75% or higher compliance. To provide some background, in 2020 REMSA Health served an approximate population of 471,000 residents and maintained an annual volume of approximately 75,000 calls for service.

The following statistics are notable contributions that helped us achieve this award:

• Over 1,100 of those 75,000 calls were patients who called 9-1-1 for chest pain or other symptoms of ACS.
• 78 of these patients were positively identified to be suffering from a STEMI.
• For the 1,100 patients who called 9-1-1 for chest pain or other symptoms of ACS, REMSA Health paramedics were able to obtain an electrocardiograph within 10 minutes, 75% of the time.
• Patients who did suffer a STEMI received definitive care and a cardiac stent placed within 90 minutes of our arrival on scene at least 75% of the time.

“This is a huge honor,” said Jason Hatfield, Sr. Clinical Coordinator, REMSA Health. “I can keep track of our statistics and remind ground crews of our standards but if they didn’t focus on providing this level of clinically-excellent care, we wouldn’t be receiving this award. Our ground healthcare providers should be really proud of themselves; this award belongs to them.”

Each year, more than 250,000 Americans experience a STEMI, the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks – – starting from when 9-1-1 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. At REMSA Health we are grateful for our community partners who aid in our opportunity to be recognized in such a way as this achievement.