Web‐based System from Physio‐Control Will Help Improve Care for Heart Attack Patients in Northeast Louisiana

West Monroe, LA – Glenwood Regional Medical Center today announced they have recently launched the LIFENET System from Physio‐Control. The first web‐based system of its kind, this system has the goal of reducing time to treatment for patients in northeast Louisiana 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.

“The LIFENET System will help us reduce door‐to‐balloon (D2B) times for STEMI patients,” said Dr. Hoa Nguyen, at Glenwood Regional Medical Center Emergency Department. “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.”

About the LIFENET System

Easy to use, the LIFENET System is a state‐of‐the-art system that connects emergency medical services (EMS) teams and hospital personnel with emergent patient data. The LIFENET System 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 everyone prepared before the patient arrives, thus 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 LIFEPAK® 12 or LIFEPAK 15 monitor/defibrillator to obtain a 12‐lead ECG. The ECG report is securely transmitted over the internet using digital modems. Hospital teams are alerted to incoming information, are able to view the patient data, and can alert other appropriate care providers or forward the data. Users of the system can view the data from their desktop computer or PDA using a simple software application. The ease of communication throughout the care team helps save critical time, especially important when cath lab activation is indicated.

The 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. The LIFENET System is helping communities elevate STEMI care to a whole new level by enabling them to set up STEMI 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 door‐to-balloon (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). A recent update to guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the AHA emphasize the need for developing STEMI systems of care to increase the number of patients with timely access to appropriate treatment for STEMI (ACC/AHA Guidelines for the Management of Patients with ST‐Elevation Myocardial Infarction, 2009).

About Glenwood Regional Medical Center

Glenwood Regional Medical Center is located in West Monroe, Louisiana and offers comprehensive healthcare services, including emergency care, heart care, advanced surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, maternity care, rehabilitation services, and help for a broad range of medical conditions. Equipped with the most advanced medical technology, and staffed by a team of highly skilled healthcare professionals, Glenwood is committed to providing high‐quality care in a friendly hospital environment.