Lake EMS Executive Director Jerry Smith accepts the “Stroke Care in Emergency Medicine” award for EMS field crews from Dr. Evan Allen, Medical Director for Florida Hospital’s Stroke System.

“You are great and you have won an international award!” Those were the opening remarks of Dr. Evan Allen, Medical Director for the Florida Hospital Stroke System, as he presented an award to Lake EMS Executive Director Jerry Smith for EMS field crews on December 9, 2014. The award for “Stroke Care in Emergency Medicine” from the American Heart/American Stroke Association was given at the Lake EMS Board of Directors Meeting held at the Lake County Emergency Operations and Communications Center.

As Dr. Evan Allen explained, the award was originally presented at the International Stroke Conference in 2014. The stroke study which Dr. Allen headed, and Lake EMS participated in, was entitled, “Stroke Severity Adjusted EMS Triage Has Benefits for Bypassed Primary Stroke Centers.” Dr. Allen briefly explained the process by which severe stroke patients were triaged and bypassed Primary Stroke Centers to receive treatment at Comprehensive Stroke Centers.

At one point Dr. Allen asked meeting participants, “Do you know anyone that practices world class EMS stroke care?” When there was no response, Dr. Allen quickly stated, “Lake EMS does.” He noted that interventions in stroke patients are extraordinarily time sensitive. The overall results of the study indicated that EMS crews were able to accurately triage stroke patients and transport them to the appropriate stroke treatment center. The ultimate benefit is that patients who receive advanced treatment at Comprehensive Stroke Centers have improved chances for positive medical outcomes.

Study details and results are available from Dr. Evan Allen MD, MBA.