Volunteer - Oakwood Annapolis Hospital

Oakwood Donates Heart Attack Treatment
Units to Dearborn Fire Department
Oakwood Healthcare System donated five portable 12-lead EKG units to the Dearborn Fire Department, furthering a
commitment to reduce heart attack treatment times throughout the Detroit metro area.
The units, which represent an investment of $165,000 by the healthcare system, are capable of transmitting EKG
information directly to the smart phones of attending physicians, dramatically reducing the treatment times for heart
attack victims. It’s part of a commitment from Oakwood to provide the equipment and training to paramedics
throughout the 500-square-mile area serviced by Oakwood.
“This is a huge commitment, not only to the City of Dearborn, but to the entire region,” said Jeffrey Beutner, Battalion
Chief, Emergency Medical Services for the City of Dearborn. “This is a wonderful thing the hospital has done.”
rather than going to the hospital on their own.
“We’ve consistently seen 30 minutes or less when patients are transported by our agency,” said Beutner.
Healthcare systems rate
the time between the
arrival of heart attack
patients at an emergency
room and when they can
receive an emergency
catherization—it’s referred
to as door-to-balloon time.
The national average is
about 90 minutes. Since the
new technology has been
implemented at the
Oakwood Hospital &
Medical Center (OHMC) in
Dearborn, the average is
about 53 minutes—and far
less if patients are
transported by the
Dearborn Fire Department,
That’s because doctors can make the diagnosis as soon as the information is transmitted to their phones, said Joe
Murray Ph.D., manager of the Critical Care transport Team at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center.
“By the time the fire department gets to the hospital, our staff is ready to go,” said Murray.
Beutner said the units would find regular use in Dearborn. The four ambulance units in the city respond to about 10,000
calls every year. They go on at least three cardiac runs every day, he said.
The Dearborn Fire Department has used the technology since 2009, according to Beutner. The new units will replace old
ones that have seen plenty of use for the department.
“It’s been a great partnership,” said Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly.
“It’s huge,” said Fire Chief Richard Miller of the donation, which comes at a time when many municipalities are
operating under tight budget conditions. “This is a big help for the department and the community as a whole.”
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