Susquehanna Valley EMS announces a unique partnership with Lancaster General Hospital to offer advanced emergency medical services using state-of-the-art technology to better diagnose and treat cardiac patients while en route to the hospital.

Susquehanna Valley EMS a Lancaster County provider of emergency care transport and Lancaster General Hospital, have teamed-up to utilize Medtronic LIFEPAK® 12 Series defibrillators that allow physicians at the hospital to view patient heart and vital signs while being transported to the hospital using a cellular link to a monitor at Lancaster General Hospital Emergency Room.

Telemedicine allows physicians to review test data while a patient is enroute to the hospital or at home or office so life saving treatment can be made available within minutes of arrival. Less critical cases can betriaged and treated in the field or referred to a primary care provider. According to Mr. Michael Fitzgibbons, Executive Director of Susquehanna Valley EMS, “"Time is muscle" if we can identify a heart problem in the field and then transmit results to the hospital, they can prepare before we get there and muscle can be saved”.

The new automated external defibrillator means more time that can save a life through Susquehanna Valley EMS’s rapid response EMTs and Paramedics coordinating with Lancaster General Hospital.” All Susquehanna Valley EMS transport vehicles are now outfitted with the new equipment at an investment of $80,000.00 made by Susquehanna Valley EMS and a shared grant from the Department of Economics through Pennsylvania Representative True’s office of $40,000.00 and matched by Susquehanna Valley EMS.