New Technology Keeps Danbury Hospital At Forefront Of EMS Cardiac Services
Danbury, CT - The saying "when every minute counts" has never been more true than when you have experienced a heart attack or cardiac emergency. According to the American College of Cardiology, the first 90 minutes of a cardiac episode - medically referred to as "door to balloon time"-- are the most crucial to determining survival. Danbury Hospital has consistent vigilance on reducing the door to balloon time" partly due to its new pre-hospital 12 Lead EKG system which allows for direct transmission of essential cardiac data from ambulance to emergency department via phone lines.
"Door to balloon time is so crucial because it is the time frame during which optimal care can be administered in order to preserve the heart muscle," explains Dr. Andrew Keller, Chief of Cardiology at Danbury Hospital. "With every minute that elapses when a person is suffering a heart attack without timely care, heart muscle is dying. The quicker we are able to both identify and treat patients having a heart attack, the better the outcome."
A hallmark of Danbury Hospital's improved EMS cardiac delivery system is its collaborative community effort, which incorporates highly trained paramedics and advances in communication technology. "We are committed to reducing any time it takes for our cardiac specialty teams to become mobilized," said Matthew Cassavechia, Director of Emergency Medical Services at Danbury Hospital. "Engaging our local EMS services early in the notification and treatment processes is an essential component to achieving reduced door to balloon times."
Specifics of Danbury Hospital's new EMS delivery system include:
- telecommunications transmission of current cardiac monitoring and defibrillator results from ambulance to hospital
- ability to send 12 lead EKG's wirelessly to a newly constructed receiving station in the Emergency Department, so that a specialized team of angioplasty doctors can be assembled before the patient even gets to the hospital, saving time and reducing critical door to balloon time
Cassavechia adds that the essential end result of the new EMS upgrades is quicker delivery of potentially life-saving interventions.
David Lindblom of Sandy Hook experienced the positive results of the new system when he suffered a heart attack over this past holiday season and was in recovery within 53 minutes.
"Danbury Hospital's EMS system and personal care stabilized me in time to avoid serious heart damage and save my life, " said Lindblom.
SOURCE: Danbury Hospital