New monitors allow paramedics to work faster

Time is of utmost importance when tending to heart attack or stroke patients.

Cape County Private Ambulance Service paramedic Fred Gross said, "The more time you waste, the more muscle is going to be unrepairable."

In an effort to minimize the damage that can be done, whether to the brain or the heart, CCPA recently acquired eight Philips Tempus ALS monitors and eight defibrillator units that are used together to replace the ambulance service's current machines.

The new equipment will allow for better communication with hospitals and permit paramedics to communicate directly with doctors, who can monitor the patient's heartbeat using Bluetooth technology, in real time, while they're being transported to the hospital.

Cape County Private Ambulance Service will be the first EMS agency in Missouri, and one of the first in the U.S., to utilize the brand-new cardiac monitoring technology.

Potentially operational by the first of the year, we applaud Cape County Private Ambulance Service, including Dr. John Russell, president of CCPA, for their commitment to the health of our community and continuing to be at the top of leading edge medical technology.