In metro Atlanta, a network of local emergency services and emergency rooms work together to get the jump on ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attacks, taking care of EKG in ambulance and transmitting to emergency departments in advance. Hospital staff review EKG and in the case of a STEMI get proper services in place by the time the patient arrives via ambulance. The goal is to give patients with a prehospital electrocardiographic diagnosis of STEMI a "door-to-balloon" time of 90 minutes or less -- that's 90 minutes from the time of the emergency call to the time the artery in the heart is unblocked. Inside the network in place in Atlanta that time is now on average 50 minutes.

Speaking here are three links in that network:

   Dr. Michael Ross, Medical Director, Chest Pain Center, Emory University Hospital

   Trey Phillips, Market General Manager, Rural/Metro of Georgia

   Sharon Vanairsdale, RN, Emergency Services, Emory University Hospital