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Highlands Today

Life-Saving Technology

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

From left: EMT Bobby Carson, paramedic Dustin Fitch and SFCC paramedic student Bobby Respress demonstrate for Highlands Today the new cardiac monitor they recently received.

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By Jim  Konkoly | Highlands Today

Published: November 5, 2007

SEBRING – You don't need to be a doctor to know that quicker treatment of a heart attack can make a life-or-death difference.
Steve Coltharp, Highlands County EMS director, took delivery last week of new, high-tech cardiac monitors that can make such a critical impact.
Without a doubt, Coltharp said, lives will be saved by this major upgrade in the heart monitoring equipment which will be carried soon on all Highlands County EMS ambulances.
Coltharp's assessment is backed up by Dr. Don Geldart, medical director for county EMS and an emergency room doctor at Florida Hospital's Lake Placid and Wauchula locations.
"Absolutely, yes," Geldart answered when asked if the new heart monitors will save lives.
"It is well documented nationwide that this does save lives," Geldart said. Beyond preserving life, he added, "this also saves heart muscle and decreases damage, so you have better outcomes down the road.
"Not only do you save lives, but the quality of the life is improved."
Each of the county's eight EMS ambulances will carry a new 12-lead cardiac monitor, replacing the current 3-lead monitors.
"This is the biggest advance (in life saving technology) that we've had in a long, long time," Coltharp said.
He explained, "Imagine if you need to look into a house and, with our old monitors, you could see through three windows. With our new monitors, you have 12 windows, which gives you so much more information on how to treat a patient."
So much information from the 12-lead monitor can be transmitted to the emergency room doctor from the ambulance, Coltharp said, that the doctor can decide on and prepare the necessary treatment before the patient arrives.
"The end result is, in some cases, you wouldn't even stop at the emergency room, the patient could be taken straight into the Cath (catherization) Lab and treatments could start immediately," Coltharp said.
Geldart explained the significant advantages of the new EMS monitors.
"The standard monitor gives you three leads (with which) you watch the rhythm of the heart ... The 12-lead (monitor) is a full EKG, as we have in the hospital. So, therefore, it can tell you if you're having a heart attack or not.
"With the three leads you can suspect it, but the 12-lead gives you a full-blown picture."
Setting the treatment while a cardiac patient is en route to the hospital can be life-saving and life enhancing, Geldart said.
In such cases, he said, "the ER knows what's coming. You'll be preparing the team, getting the IVs ready and the medications mixed. All that cuts quite a bit of time."
Geldart said the new 12-lead monitors "give us a real potent tool to make our decisions faster, and any time we can shave off in making the decisions and starting treatment helps the patient."
For treating heart attacks from a blocked artery, Geldart added, "time is muscle." Timely treatment can prevent or greatly reduce damage to the heart muscles, giving the patient a stronger heart when he or she finishes treatment, he said.
Coltharp said the new heart monitors will be put into service as soon as every paramedic receives training on this new technology.
"We should have that finished in a couple weeks," he said.
Geldart praised county officials for funding this upgrade in life-saving technology. Each machine carries a list price of $24,000, but Coltharp said a special deal allowed him to acquire them for $14,000 each.
"I commend the county, because this (upgrade) is not cheap," Geldart said. "With all the budget constraints that they have, it's commendable that they've supported our decision and will provide for the training."
Geldart also said all emergency room doctors at the county's three hospitals contribute to EMS operations in general and, in particular, to launching this improved service.
As the EMS medical director, he said, "I'm very dependent on each and every ER doctor. They all help us and cooperate in teaching our paramedics."

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