NCMC - Programs & Services

Cardiac Alert Program at the CardioVascular Institute of North Colorado

A 2006 Healthcare Hero Emergency Services Award recipient by the Northern Colorado Business Report
The program saves time in obtaining treatment for patients experiencing certain heart attack symptoms

Implemented in March 2006, the program involves:

The Weld County Ambulance Service
NCMC Trauma and Emergency Services

NCMC Cath lab physicians and staff
NCMC heart surgeons

“The Weld County Commissioners funded the purchase of specialized diagnostic equipment aboard our ambulances to make the program work,” said Dave Bressler, general manager of the Weld County Ambulance Service. Paramedics now utilize 12-lead ECG equipment to assess patient conditions in the field. This enables the paramedics and hospital team to decide whether cardiac catheterization will benefit the patient.

From the ambulance, paramedics and hospital emergency services staff can implement a “Cardiac Alert” to notify cardiologists, cardiac cath lab staff members to be ready to treat the patient. Upon arrival at the Emergency Department, the patient can be moved directly to the cardiac catheterization unit.

Patients who are treated quickly by a catheterization procedure tend to have:

fewer complications
less heart damage
are less likely to suffer a related stroke