Welcome to the Virginia Heart Attack Coalition (VHAC) website!
The Virginia Heart Attack Coalition-Mission Lifeline (VHAC-ML) has been closely focused on education and protocol guidance:
- An EMS position paper on STEMI systems prepared by members of the VHAC-ML Task Force, including representation from EMS field providers, was presented and approved by the Virginia Office of EMS (OEMS) Medical Direction Committee. The document, which is carefully constructed to address concerns on a state and local level, uses ML Criteria to outline recommended strategies and tactics, and provide guidance for EMS agencies and providers in fine-tuning STEMI protocols.
- Mission Lifeline’s STEMI Provider Course was taught at the annual EMS Symposium in November by Drs Pete O’Brien and David Burt. Over 100 EMS personnel participated in this intensive class that included real life case scenarios. AHA STEMI Provider Manuals were given to all participants for further study and review. A vendor display booth at the Symposium further promoted Mission Lifeline and the importance of building STEMI systems of care, to the 3500+ attendees.
- Virginia OEMS provides monthly satellite training for EMS providers across the state, and worked with AHA and ML-VHAC to produce a segment for November outlining pre-hospital response to STEMI in the field. Dr Mike Kontos served as the Course Instructor, assuring the training adhered closely to ML Criteria. The course will remain accessible via web for the next year.
Virginia Spotlight
Virginia Heart Attack Coalition/Mission Lifeline Making Great Strides to Improve MI Care in the Commonwealth
The VHAC/ML Task Force held its fourth meeting in Richmond on September 22, 2009. This was the first statewide meeting after a highly successful May Summit to gather all Coalition members and stakeholders. Progress continues as this important initiative continues to gather momentum.
Dear Health Care Provider
This year, many Virginians will suffer an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Despite advances in recognition and treatment, a significant number of patients will become disabled or even die. Research has shown that reducing the time to treatment significantly decreases mortality and improves outcomes.
Register Your STEMI System
If you are part of a STEMI system of care, please take a few moments to help the Mission: Lifeline initiative and STEMI patients by completing the online questionnaire, which will register your system with Mission: Lifeline. By leveraging the data you and others in STEMI systems provide, we can improve quality of care for patients and ultimately save lives.