OMC receives Lifeline EMS Recognition Award

Oconee Medical Center EMS has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline^® EMS Silver Award to recognize its commitment and success in implementing specific quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who suffer a severe heart attack known as a STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction). “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in emergency medical care for STEMI patients,” said Kent Whitten, director of Oconee Medical Center EMS. “Oconee Medical Center is dedicated to making our EMS among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that by implementing processes for improving STEMI systems of care with the goal of improving the quality of care for all STEMI patients.” Every year, almost 300,000 people experience a STEMI, a type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication.