Owen County EMS recognized for lifesaving cardiac care

Owen County EMS is the first emergency medical services team to receive a new quarterly recognition from the IU Health Bloomington Cardiac Cath Lab for outstanding care of heart attack patients.

The Owen County team was recognized for its response to a patient experiencing a STEMI, a serious type of heart attack caused by a blocked coronary artery. EMS personnel identified the heart attack in the field and activated the hospital’s cardiac catheterization team before arriving at IU Health Bloomington.

The American Heart Association benchmark is to open a blocked vessel within 90 minutes of a patient’s first contact with a medical professional. In this case, the Owen County patient’s blocked vessel was opened in just 63 minutes. Once the procedure began, the Cath Lab team needed only 13 minutes to place a stent and restore blood flow.

The case demonstrates the importance of identifying a heart attack quickly and activating the Cath Lab while the patient is still being transported. It also highlights the role of equipment such as cardiac monitors and onboard communications systems that allow EMS crews to transmit EKG results from the field.

A banner recognizing the Owen County EMS team and documenting the response is now displayed in the ambulance bay at IU Health Bloomington.