HCFR Nationally Recognized for Quality Care for Severe Heart Attacks

Hillsborough County, Fla. (June 28, 2022) - Hillsborough County Fire Rescue has received the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Plus achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attack, ultimately saving lives.

Each year, more than 250,000 people experience a heart attack known as an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. It is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible to prevent death by either mechanically opening the blocked vessel or using clot-busting medication.

Mission: Lifeline is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive conditions, such as severe heart attacks. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks - starting from when 911 is called to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS, and health care system.

Dr. James G. Jollis, volunteer chair for the GWTG-CAD Systems of Care Advisory Work Group and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, said health care professionals who interact with a cardiac patient before they enter the hospital or emergency room can play a vital role and save precious minutes by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient.

The Mission: Lifeline achievement award is earned by agencies that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based practices outlined by the American Heart Association.