For some time now, we have been hearing how interventional cardiology is saving more lives than conventional treatment modalities. The faster a patient reaches the Cath Lab, the better their chance of surviving Acute Coronary Syndrome. Rapid PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) is the treatment of choice among today’s top chest pain centers and is also practiced here in Zanesville. As Genesis moves toward Chest Pain Center accreditation, EMS comes into the spotlight as the first link in the cascade of events leading to positive patient outcomes, and ultimately, a good reputation for all in the expansive realm of cardiac care.

The primary goal of doing EKGs upon arrival to the patient’s side is shortening triage time, which results in a much shorter door to intervention time for Genesis. Quality Review is responsible for tracking milestone events such as the time the patient initiates a 911 call, and other landmarks through completion of the 12 lead EKG. Community Ambulance Service has been proactive in this area for the past five years. Our Zoll 300-M series monitors were ordered based on their capability to record and transmit 12 lead EKGs via cellular technology. The Zoll monitors network with our computerized tablet solution to provide seamless capture and reporting of all patient care data. EKGs are performed at the patient’s side once the crew arrives on-scene, and are transmitted as soon as possible thereafter. This protocol, as previously mentioned, allows the patient to enter the Code STEMI process much faster than would occur under traditional methods of in-hospital triage. Once this step is completed, the EKG is reviewed by the STEMI Coordinator, the Cardiologist and the Emergency Physician for appropriateness of care, after which, the patient is routed past the ED to the Cath Lab for intervention. This is but one of many practices that Community Ambulance has implemented to elevate the level of care available to residents of Zanesville, and Muskingum and Perry Counties.