New technology at Western Baptist Hospital gives people suffering from a heart attack a head start in their race against time.

Western Baptist recently implemented a Web-based system to receive portable 12-lead electrocardiograms (EKGs) transmitted from ambulances on their way to the hospital. A paramedic sends the test results, which show exactly what is happening with the patient’s heart, directly to the hospital’s Emergency department, chest pain center and cardiac catheterization lab. Transmission from the ambulance to the hospital will reduce what doctors call “door to balloon time”—or the time from the onset of heart attack symptoms to treatment, usually the placement of a stent or balloon angioplasty.  

 “This new system will enable us to better meet the national guidelines of treatment in 90 minutes or less, as recommended by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology,” said cardiologist J. Kenneth Ford, M.D.

Jamey Locke, Mercy Regional Emergency Medical Services director, said the new system is a tremendous asset for healthcare in this region.

“Generally, only larger communities have implemented this kind of technology,” said Locke. “In our rural setting, implementing such life-saving equipment is remarkable.

It’s a testament to healthcare providers’ support to our community’s health.”

The LIFENET STEMI Management Solution from Physio-Control, a division of Medtronic, transmits diagnostic-quality EKGs so everyone involved in a patient’s care can prepare for the patient’s arrival while the patient is being transported.

Tariq Sayyad, M.D., and Fred Mushkat, M.D., emergency room physicians at Western Baptist, said the LIFENET STEMI system allows paramedics in the field and physicians and nurses in the hospital to focus on treatment decisions with life-saving results.

“Expediting patient care is crucial in an emergency,” said Dr. Mushkat. “Minutes can make the difference in survival.”

Dr. Sayyad said recent studies of the new system are showing promising results.

 “Studies have reported a significant relationship between pre-hospital 12-lead EKGs and shorter door-to-balloon times, with two recent studies showing the effect was strongest when the catheterization lab was activated while the patient was still en route to the hospital,” said Dr. Sayyad.

Western Baptist is working with area ambulance service providers on how to set up their equipment to transmit EKGs. Mercy Regional EMS worked with Western Baptist to test the system, and its ambulances are already equipped to transmit 12-lead EKGs.

In an emergency, seconds matter. If you think you’re having a heart attack, phone 911 or get to your nearest emergency room immediately.

To speak with a registered nurse about chest pain and stroke symptoms, phone Western Baptist’s 24-hour award-winning Chest Pain Hotline at 1-800-575-1911.

Western Baptist Hospital is the first in western Kentucky to earn national

accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The three-year accreditation recognizes Western Baptist’s efficiency in treating chest pain, a symptom causing more than 5 million Americans to enter national emergency departments each year.