Using EMS Dispatch to Trigger STEMI Alerts Decreases Door-to-Balloon Times

128 patients (n=64 per group) with prehospital STEMI transported by EMS and taken directly to the cardiac catheterization lab for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Exclusions included cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, death, resolution of EKG changes, cardiologist decision not to perform PCI, and arrival as a transfer.

Immediate 9-1-1 dispatch notification (dispatcher-aided communication) where paramedics provide a brief one-sentence report to dispatchers upon immediate realization of a diagnostic EKG, who then immediately call the emergency department attending to activate the cardiac catheterization lab.

Standard direct EMS-to-physician notification where paramedics contact the emergency department and give a full report to an attending physician before catheterization lab activation.

Door-to-balloon (DTB) time