Sunstar Paramedics honored by American Heart Association

LARGO, FL (August 14, 2019) – Sunstar Paramedics recently received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline®EMS Gold Plus Level Recognition Award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.

Healthcare providers’ actions during the first several hours of a heart attack determine the patient’s level of benefit from intervention and treatment. Sunstar Paramedics was recognized for its efforts to improve the systems of care for patients with acute coronary syndrome, including both ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) heart attacks.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience STEMI heart attacks, the most deadly-form of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart. Patients with STEMI heart attacks require timely treatment for recovery, and EMS providers play a vital role in providing life-saving treatment.

Sunstar Paramedics worked to enhance collaboration with hospital providers and accelerate the decision-making process while treating high-risk patients, thereby enhancing the quality of care for STEMI heart attack patients.

“The Mission: Lifeline®award reflects Sunstar Paramedics’ commitment to excellence in patient care and meeting high standards of performance,” said John Peterson, chief operating officer for Sunstar Paramedics. “Our timely care helps increase survival and recovery for patients who experience heart attacks, which can help them return to their family, friends and workplaces.”

2019 Mission: LifelineEMS Gold Plus Level Award recipients were evaluated based on criteria relating to the care of STEMI heart attack patients. Award recipients demonstrated at least 75% compliance for each required achievement measure for two consecutive years, achieve a silver or gold award in the previous year, and provide treatment for eight or more STEMI heart attack patients in 2018.

Mission: Lifeline is a coordinated, proactive system of care that brings first responders, hospitals and other healthcare providers together as a team using proven guidelines and best practices to treat cardiac patients. The goal is to save lives by closing the gaps in STEMI heart attack patient care and providing innovative tools and measures to improve the speed and quality of care.

About Sunstar Paramedics:

Sunstar is the 911 ambulance transport service for all Pinellas County residents, employing 725 local residents, and responding to around 520 calls a day. Highly awarded and accredited, Sunstar utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and software, and (along with parent company PatientCare) is an innovator of the industry’s best practices. Sunstar’s team is heavily involved in Pinellas communities, focusing largely on safety programs for the public and for schools. Sunstar is also a prior recipient of the Florida Governor's Sterling Award, the state’s most prestigious award recognizing “role models for organizational performance excellence.” More info at SunstarEMS.com.

About Mission: Lifeline

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline®program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for acute coronary syndrome patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.