 November 13, 2009, MORRIS, IL – The Morris Hospital Foundation has provided the Gardner Volunteer Fire Department full funding for a $15,882 cardiac monitor that will enhance services provided to heart attack victims.
The cardiac monitor gives first responders with the Gardner Volunteer Fire Department the ability to conduct electrocardiogram (EKG) tests right in the field and then transmit the test results to a hospital emergency room. EKGs are used to record the heart’s electrical impulses, enabling physicians to determine if the heart rate and rhythm are normal or if the heart is showing signs of not getting adequate blood flow, which could indicate a heart attack.
“Having this capability will enhance patient outcomes during cardiac emergencies,” says Chief Randy Wilkey of the Gardner Volunteer Fire Department. “By identifying heart attack victims in the field and transmitting EKG results, the receiving hospital will be able to prepare for the arrival of the patient, which expedites treatment.”
Clinicians at Morris Hospital have witnessed the benefits of this technology numerous times over the past several months.
“Several other ambulance services in our region have the ability to conduct EKG tests in the field and transmit them from the ambulance,” says Kevin Roesch, Manager of Cardiovascular Services at Morris Hospital. “As soon as the emergency physician sees the EKG reading and confirms the likelihood of a heart attack, we begin assembling our cardiac cath team so we’re ready to open the blocked artery with balloon angioplasty as soon as the patient arrives at the hospital. So far, our best ‘door-to-balloon’ time was 23 minutes. That means the patient’s blocked artery was opened 23 minutes after arriving at the hospital. The sooner we can open the artery, the less damage to the heart.”
Residents of Gardner aren’t the only ones who stand to benefit from Gardner Volunteer Fire Department’s new cardiac monitoring equipment. When requested, Gardner Fire provides advanced life support services to Dwight Emergency Medical Services and South Wilmington Fire Department.
“The ability to accurately diagnose the patient’s EKG and transmit it to the receiving emergency department will greatly enhance the patient’s ability to survive and recover from a heart attack,” says Wilkey. “We are very pleased to be adding this type of service to our capabilities. It will greatly enhance the quality of care for cardiac patients in emergency situations. We’re grateful to the Morris Hospital Foundation for providing the needed funding.”
The Morris Hospital Foundation, which is governed by a 17-member, volunteer board of directors, was established in 1994 to enhance the work of Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers. The Foundation, through its fundraising efforts, provides donors the opportunity to make outright, as well as legacy gifts impacting both the community’s immediate and future healthcare needs.
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