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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HEARD COUNTY FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES LAUNCH NEW SYSTEM TO HELP IMPROVE HEART ATTACK PATIENT
OUTCOMES
Web-based LIFENET® System Utilizes Emergent Patient Data to Help Reduce Time to Treatment in Heard County
¬Heard County Fire & Emergency Services today announced they have launched a new system to help improve heart
attack patient outcomes. The LIFENET System, from Physio-Control, Inc., is the first web-based data network of its kind,
offering emergency medical services (EMS) and hospital teams tools to work together to help improve clinical and
operational efficiencies. Heard County Fire & Emergency Services use of LIFENET System has the goal of reducing time to
treatment, known as door-to-balloon time (D2B), for patients in Heard County who experience a dangerous type of heart
attack known as STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction).
STEMI poses a serious threat to the heart muscle and can result in death or serious disability for the patient. The more
quickly patients receive treatment, which may include balloon angioplasty and stent placement in the cardiac
catheterization (cath) lab, the more likely they are to have a positive outcome. D2B time refers to the interval from patient
arrival at the hospital to inflation of the balloon catheter within the patient's blocked artery – the shorter the D2B time, the
greater the chance of survival.
“The LIFENET System will help us reduce time to treatment for STEMI patients,” said Chief Scott Blue. “Studies show that
time from onset of symptoms to treatment is critical to improving survival and outcomes for these patients. Having this new
system will enable us to better meet the guideline of treatment as recommended by the American Heart Association and the
American College of Cardiology.” Heard County Commission Chair June Jackson stated, “The Heard County Board of
Commissioners, are excited about the implementation of this system, which has the potential to save lives.” She also
commended Heard County Fire & Emergency Services for being able to obtain and provide this service with no additional
cost to the county.
About the LIFENET System
LIFENET System is a state-of-the-art, easy to use system designed to connect EMS teams and hospital personnel with
emergent patient data, and to help increase workflow so that a patient can receive treatment as quickly as possible.
LIFENET enables paramedics in the field to alert hospital care teams and provide them with critical patient data so they can
quickly identify STEMI patients, determine where to route them for care, and have staff prepared before the patient arrives,
reducing time to treatment. This is all securely managed by a web-based system administered by Physio-Control.
EMS crews in the field use a cardiac monitor/defibrillator to obtain a 12-lead ECG from a LIFEPAK® 12, the ECG report is
then securely transmitted over the internet. Hospital teams are alerted to incoming information, are able to view the patient
data and share with other care teams, and engage remote clinicians for decision support through a dedicated iPhone
application. The ease of communication throughout the care team helps save critical time, especially important when cath
lab activation is indicated.
LIFENET System allows paramedics, physicians and nurses to focus on treatment decisions and patient care while the
system works quietly in the background, both in the field and in the hospital emergency department or cath lab. LIFENET is
helping communities elevate heart attack care to a whole new level by enabling them to set up systems of care for reducing
time to treatment for STEMI patients.
More about STEMI
The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that close to 400,000 people in the U.S. experience STEMI every year.
Studies show that when D2B time is 90 minutes or less, patient outcomes significantly improve, and hospital stays are
shorter (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2006).
The use of pre-hospital 12-lead ECGs plays a key part in reducing D2B times (Critical Pathways in Cardiology, 2007). The
2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care emphasize the importance of a
well-organized approach to STEMI care to activate rapid access to reperfusion therapy.
A 90 minute D2B time has become a core quality measure for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations (JCAHO), recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to
meeting certain performance standards, and in many states, a condition of licensure and receipt of Medicaid
reimbursement.
HEARD COUNTY FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES LAUNCH NEW SYSTEM TO HELP IMPROVE HEART ATTACK PATIENT
OUTCOMES
Web-based LIFENET® System Utilizes Emergent Patient Data to Help Reduce Time to Treatment in Heard County
¬Heard County Fire & Emergency Services today announced they have launched a new system to help improve heart
attack patient outcomes. The LIFENET System, from Physio-Control, Inc., is the first web-based data network of its kind,
offering emergency medical services (EMS) and hospital teams tools to work together to help improve clinical and
operational efficiencies. Heard County Fire & Emergency Services use of LIFENET System has the goal of reducing time to
treatment, known as door-to-balloon time (D2B), for patients in Heard County who experience a dangerous type of heart
attack known as STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction).
STEMI poses a serious threat to the heart muscle and can result in death or serious disability for the patient. The more
quickly patients receive treatment, which may include balloon angioplasty and stent placement in the cardiac
catheterization (cath) lab, the more likely they are to have a positive outcome. D2B time refers to the interval from patient
arrival at the hospital to inflation of the balloon catheter within the patient's blocked artery – the shorter the D2B time, the
greater the chance of survival.
“The LIFENET System will help us reduce time to treatment for STEMI patients,” said Chief Scott Blue. “Studies show that
time from onset of symptoms to treatment is critical to improving survival and outcomes for these patients. Having this new
system will enable us to better meet the guideline of treatment as recommended by the American Heart Association and the
American College of Cardiology.” Heard County Commission Chair June Jackson stated, “The Heard County Board of
Commissioners, are excited about the implementation of this system, which has the potential to save lives.” She also
commended Heard County Fire & Emergency Services for being able to obtain and provide this service with no additional
cost to the county.
About the LIFENET System
LIFENET System is a state-of-the-art, easy to use system designed to connect EMS teams and hospital personnel with
emergent patient data, and to help increase workflow so that a patient can receive treatment as quickly as possible.
LIFENET enables paramedics in the field to alert hospital care teams and provide them with critical patient data so they can
quickly identify STEMI patients, determine where to route them for care, and have staff prepared before the patient arrives,
reducing time to treatment. This is all securely managed by a web-based system administered by Physio-Control.
EMS crews in the field use a cardiac monitor/defibrillator to obtain a 12-lead ECG from a LIFEPAK® 12, the ECG report is
then securely transmitted over the internet. Hospital teams are alerted to incoming information, are able to view the patient
data and share with other care teams, and engage remote clinicians for decision support through a dedicated iPhone
application. The ease of communication throughout the care team helps save critical time, especially important when cath
lab activation is indicated.
LIFENET System allows paramedics, physicians and nurses to focus on treatment decisions and patient care while the
system works quietly in the background, both in the field and in the hospital emergency department or cath lab. LIFENET is
helping communities elevate heart attack care to a whole new level by enabling them to set up systems of care for reducing
time to treatment for STEMI patients.
More about STEMI
The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that close to 400,000 people in the U.S. experience STEMI every year.
Studies show that when D2B time is 90 minutes or less, patient outcomes significantly improve, and hospital stays are
shorter (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2006).
The use of pre-hospital 12-lead ECGs plays a key part in reducing D2B times (Critical Pathways in Cardiology, 2007). The
2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care emphasize the importance of a
well-organized approach to STEMI care to activate rapid access to reperfusion therapy.
A 90 minute D2B time has become a core quality measure for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations (JCAHO), recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to
meeting certain performance standards, and in many states, a condition of licensure and receipt of Medicaid
reimbursement.
