By Bethania Palma Markus
The Whittier Daily News
MONTEBELLO, Calif. — Beverly Hospital officials say fire station closures may be delaying treatment for heart attack victims.
Between April and June, the hospital dropped from No. 6 or No. 7 among the 32 hospitals participating in the “STEMI” rapid heart attack treatment program to No. 27, according to a letter sent to the city by Dr. Richard Garcia, Beverly Hospital’s emergency department director.
While Garcia said there could be other complications contributing to the drop in the hospital’s standing, he expressed concern over the station closure because the outcome of heart attack patients is time-sensitive.
“We did have an uptick in our times,” Garcia said. “To the extent that (emergency medical services) contributes to it — logically with fewer resources it makes sense our times will go up.”
“STEMI” stands for “ST elevated myocardial infarction,” referring to an irregularity in electrocardiogram patterns that reflects a heart attack.
Hospitals designated as STEMI centers get EKG transmissions from paramedics in the field. If a heart attack is suspected, they mobilize a specialized treatment team, said Dr. William Koenig, medical director for the L.A. County Emergency Medical Services Agency.
The STEMI system was created in 2006, he said.
Beverly Hospital officials said a breakdown of data showing how much time was spent in the field and emergency room isn’t yet available.
Montebello Interim Fire Chief Jim Ballard said there’s no way to tell whether the station closures had an impact on treatment times at Beverly Hospital.
But he said the longer paramedics have to drive to get to a 9-1-1 call, the longer their response times will be.
“It might have taken (the paramedics) longer to get there, but once they’re there I can’t see why it makes any difference,” he said.
Garcia said any delay is a concern.
“As a physician I want to make certain that no minutes are lost in getting my (heart attack) patients to my emergency department” because as time passes, parts of the heart muscle can die due to blockage of blood flow, Garcia wrote.
Between April and June, Montebello Fire had its slowest average response time in its two-year participation in the 12-department Verdugo System and was also behind other departments.
Citing a growing budget crisis, the city in May tightly restricted firefighter overtime and closed the station on the city’s west side through July 1.
Since then stations have been closed or “browned out” monthly as funds for overtime run out.
Interim City Administrator Peter Cosentini said the council hasn’t given direction as to how to deal with the issue but is looking at options.
“They’re searching for a way to deliver fire services in the most optimal, effective and efficient way for the community,” Cosentini said.
The city is struggling to close a projected $6.1 million budget deficit this fiscal year and had to borrow nearly $20 million from its redevelopment agency to stay afloat.
Copyright 2010 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Los Angeles Newspaper Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved