The American Heart Association announced a new initiative during National EMS Week to address critical gaps in emergency communication systems that can mean the difference between life and death for cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke patients. The initiative, supported by T-Mobile, will convene EMS agency leadership, hospital executives, and public health partners in 13 U.S. cities to identify where technology can be better utilized to strengthen emergency response systems of care.
When someone experiences a cardiac emergency, reliable communication between dispatch, EMS crews, and receiving hospitals is essential. However, as mobile technologies such as telehealth platforms and mobile stroke units rapidly transform emergency response, critical gaps in systems of care can arise. The American Heart Association's initiative aims to address those gaps directly and foster the best use of technology in emergency response.
The initiative will be integrated into the Association's Mission: Lifeline® EMS program, which engages more than 1,000 EMS agencies nationwide. It is part of the broader Nation of Lifesavers movement, aiming to double survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030.
"When communication breaks down in the chain of survival, people die," said Dr. Kacey Kronenfeld, volunteer co-chair of the American Heart Association's EMS Task Force. "This initiative translates our national mission into market-level action—working alongside EMS leaders to improve care in real communities."
The 13 target cities include Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. In each market, the Association will host regional system of care forums to identify and close communication and technology gaps. These forums will generate insights that feed into national learning, comparative data analysis, and actionable improvement strategies.
Annual national roundtables, co-hosted by the Association and T-Mobile, will convene technology leaders from EMS agencies across the target markets to shape the future of emergency communication systems. "Connectivity saves lives—and that's not just a tagline for us," said Rod Cruz, vice president of growth and emerging businesses at T-Mobile. "Supporting the American Heart Association in improving how EMS teams, dispatchers, and hospitals communicate is a natural extension of that commitment."
With T-Mobile's financial support, the Association also will work to expand participation in Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition nationwide, encouraging more EMS agencies to meet the program's standards for guideline-directed care in cardiac and stroke emergencies. The initiative aims to produce recommendations that will strengthen emergency response for the future, ensuring that technology is used effectively to save lives.
