AMR Orlando Nationally Recognized for Commitment to High-Quality Care for Heart Attacks and Strokes

7.18.2024

The American Heart Association presents the Mission: Lifeline EMS gold achievement award for proven dedication to ensuring access to best practices and lifesaving care.
American Medical Response (AMR) Orlando has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS gold achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Emergency medical services staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone goes to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to provide resuscitation efforts to someone whose heart has stopped.

Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks and strokes. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack and stroke patients takes coordination between the individual prehospital providers and healthcare systems.

“Arguably the most important link in the chain of survival for acute stroke and cardiovascular emergencies is emergency medical services and prehospital professionals,” said Edward Jauch, M.D., MS, MBA, chair of the department of research at the University of North Carolina Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Center. “Early condition identification, stabilization and prehospital interventions, and initiation of actions within the regional systems of care provide patients with the best chance for receiving expedient definitive therapies leading to optimal outcomes and maximized quality of life.

“The American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline EMS awards are an important way to recognize the crucial roles and performances of EMS personnel in stroke and cardiac patients’ care.”

The Mission: Lifeline EMS achievement award focuses on agencies’ on-scene care, bringing to the forefront the collaboration and contributions to patient care for prehospital providers.

AMR Orlando has been recognized by The American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline consecutively for 3 years. In addition to this year’s gold level recognition, AMR Orlando was recognized at the silver level in 2023 and at the bronze level in 2022.

“AMR Orlando is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” said Chris Kennison, operations manager for AMR Orlando. “The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, so patients have the best possible chance of survival.”
AMR Orlando Nationally Recognized for Commitment to High-Quality Care for Heart Attacks and Strokes