From Heart Alert to STEMI Alert: Same Protocol, New Name

Same Great Protocol, New Name

Beginning Jan. 2, our nationally recognized Heart Alert program will be called STEMI Alert program. The name change is necessary to enhance clarity and align our emergency response protocols for best practices in patient care.

What is a STEMI Alert?

Based on national standards, our Carilion Clinic STEMI Alert program speeds up the amount of time it takes to deliver life-saving care to people having heart attacks. Our streamlined approach is designed to deliver coordinated care by everyone at every step of the way, including EMS providers, physicians and Carilion's heart care professionals.

Beginning the moment a patient arrives at the hospital, the "door to balloon time"—refers to how quickly Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is performed to clear obstructions from the arteries and restore blood flow to the heart—should be 90 minutes or less, according to The American College of Cardiology. At Carilion, we're justifiably proud of our fast, efficient and highly effective heart attack care where our average response time is approximately 30 minutes faster than the national standard.

EMS providers in western Virginia have been trained to work closely with our medical technicians, doctors and nurses. Starting while heart attack victims are on the way to the hospital, our STEMI Alert program provides simultaneous and comprehensive care with the goal of minimizing heart damage. Medical care is delivered faster and more efficiently, saving lives and reducing damage to the heart muscle.

The term “STEMI” is used and recognized nationwide. By making this change, we will further streamline this process to provide the best heart care for our patients in need, right when they need it. Activating a STEMI Alert ensures that a dedicated team of providers and staff are mobilized swiftly, so there's timely intervention for affected patients.

To learn more about STEMI, visit CarilionClinic.org/chest-pain-center#stemi-alert-program. For questions, contact Sylvia Atkins, Carilion Cardiovascular Institute, at statkins@carilionclinic.org.