Fayetteville, Ga. (February 26, 2013) – Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Fayette County Fire and Emergency Services were selected by the American Heart Association to pilot a new international educational program in advanced level resuscitation for medical professionals practicing emergency medicine and critical care.
Under the direction of national resuscitation experts from around the United States, the first Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support – Experienced Provider (ACLS-EP) course was held at Piedmont Fayette Hospital on January 24, 2013. More than 30 physicians, nurses and paramedics from Fayette County and metro Atlanta were selected by the American Heart Association to participate.
“The course serves to enhance the existing comprehensive system of care between local emergency services and hospitals like Piedmont Fayette,” said Chief Allen McCullough, director of public safety for Fayette County. “The primary objective is to prevent cardiac arrest whenever possible and to develop resuscitation centers committed to excellence.”
ACLS-EP is a course led by the American Heart Association that has been under development for the last two years and provides the most current and advanced practices in emergency medicine, critical care and resuscitation science for specialists who provide this level of critical care.
“Resuscitation guidelines are continuously being updated because of on-going research in the field,” said Heather Henry, M.D., Piedmont Fayette. “The ACLS-EP course is especially important for those that provide emergency care. It teaches a systematic approach to prompt critical thinking and decision making skills when quick thinking and emergency care is needed most.”
Fayette County Fire and Emergency Services is recognized as having one of the higher resuscitation rates in the nation, according to McCullough. He attributes this success to the implementation of programs like ACLS-EP and American Heart Association Mission Life Line, which enables paramedics to diagnosis patients having a heart attack while in the field.
For more information on heart health and cardiovascular services at Piedmont Fayette, visit piedmontfayette.org.