EMS & Hospital Collaborations Strengthen Relationships and Improve Care in North Carolina

In North Carolina, the Regional Approach to Cardiovascular Emergencies (RACE) system was used to develop collaboration between first responders, EMS and emergency and cardiology departments. Initially, the RACE project was established in 2003 to treat acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but in 2010, with the help of the HeartRescue Project, it was expanded to improve regional care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. System Design & Improvement Efforts The RACE project began by developing coordinated and pre-specified plans for the diagnosis and rapid reperfusion of STEMI patients, starting with 10 hospitals in a single region and eventually encompassing 119 hospitals and 540 EMS agencies across the entire state. The major tenet of this system is to “move care forward,” training and empowering field paramedics to diagnose STEMI and activate cardiac catheterization teams from the scene. This coordinated effort was strengthened by the creation of common protocols supported by all institutions, and fostering ongoing feedback to participating paramedics and EMS training directors. Leadership support was established from the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, the four North Carolina medical schools, and local physician, hospital, and EMS medical and training directors. The core leadership team conferred on weekly calls and regional calls occurred as needed; quarterly regional and statewide in-person meetings continue...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Cardiac & Resuscitation Shock Leadership Professionalism Source Type: news