EMTs train as Kent readies for life-saving procedure

By Kelcy Dolan
Posted 2/9/16

By KELCY DOLAN

With a thick Midwestern accent, Bob Page joked that he was “from away” when he addressed nearly 50 people at Kent Hospital’s 12-Lead presentation for local EMTs.

The …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

EMTs train as Kent readies for life-saving procedure

Posted

By KELCY DOLAN

With a thick Midwestern accent, Bob Page joked that he was “from away” when he addressed nearly 50 people at Kent Hospital’s 12-Lead presentation for local EMTs.

The presentation, focusing on reading electrocardiograms, or EKGs, in an EMS capacity, was in preparation of Kent’s newest catheterization, or “cath,” lab.

Kent started performing elective angioplasties last August and has since conducted more than 60 successful surgeries without incident. Kent is expecting to complete the $5.2 million cath lab in April, which will allow the hospital to perform anywhere from 75 to 100 emergency angioplasties annually.

This surgical procedure for repairing and unblocking a blood vessel, especially in the case of a heart attack, is extremely dependent on time. Currently, those in need of the emergency procedure must travel to Rhode Island Hospital, but those extra 15 to 20 minutes, especially for those communities to the south, are extremely crucial. They could mean the difference between life and death.

In a statement released by the hospital, more than 300,000 Rhode Islanders will benefit from the new lab. With the time it takes to get to a hospital reduced, residents in Kent and Washington counties could see their risk of dying from a heart attack reduced by almost 10 percent with the opening of Kent’s cath lab.

Chester Hedgepeth III, executive chief of Cardiology for Care New England, said having to bypass Kent Hospital causes “precious time” to be lost.

“With a heart attack, every minute counts. We want to save as much time as possible,” he said. “In 2016 this is not an exotic procedure. You would expect a community hospital this size to provide this.”

From first medical contact to “balloon time,” when the artery is finally open, Hedgepeth said the goal is to be within 60 minutes.

Hedgepeth said by providing this service Kent is also improving its “continuity of care,” so patients aren’t being transferred between hospitals and doctors or lost in the system.

Because local EMT agencies are currently diverting cardiac arrest patients to Rhode Island Hospital, the seminar was designed to make them aware of the services that will be available come April.

Hedgepeth noted the work done in the cath lab is “guided” by the information provided by EMTs and to ensure “super high quality care” to establish a working relationship.

Page, an international speaker, is an expert in the use of EKGs with more than 35 years as a paramedic. He has presented his seminar across North America as well as in Europe and Japan. His presentation focuses on “recognition, activation and intervention,” ensuring that EMTs are implementing and interpreting EKGs to provide not only the best information for surgeons but also the best chances for patients.

Peter Graves, chief of emergency medicine for Kent Hospital, said that EMTs currently follow protocol, going to the hospitals currently providing emergency angioplasties.

“We want to educate them on the services we will offer so they know we are an option. By educating the local community and EMTs on the signs and systems of an EKG, they can provide advanced knowledge to hospitals so we provide the best care.”

He said once the cath lab is open the local EMTs would want to fax EKG results to Kent, activating the cath lab and give “advanced warning” so the lab is “ready on their end.”

Graves believes that once the lab is open they will see a smooth transition of patients coming to Kent.

Not only does the closer hospital allow a patient better outcome, it also allows an EMT to return to the road sooner to be able to reach the next patient quicker as well.

Page said the only 12 lead “that can’t be read is one that’s not run.”

“You can genuinely save a life. You can make a dramatic impact on patient care in this area,” he said.

He argues that the work done by EMTs can make a dramatic difference in lifestyle quality for a patient: the difference between throwing a ball around with their kid or having to use a walker and oxygen mask. It can mean the difference to someone’s ability to hold his or her grandchild or not.

“You never know what it’ll mean for patients,” Page said. “The more time you save, the more quality scene time, the sooner you can activate the cath lab and see better outcomes.”

Graves said this is nothing new to local EMTs.

“They all know time is sensitive with any blockage,” Graves said. “They want what’s best for the patient just as much as we do.”

For more information visit www.carenewengland.org/cardiology.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here