Montana

OUR MISSION: To increase survival of cardiac patients through development and implementation of high-performance cardiac care systems in the State of Montana.

Survival from Cardiac Arrest requires the activation of the Cardiac Chain of Survival and having every link in the chain be complete and connected to the next. Failure of a link, or even having a weak link, will result in poor outcomes for the patient. Creating a strong Cardiac Chain of Survival requires a commitment by the entire community to become prepared for such an emergency. Every community in Montana can improve their survival rates; rural areas as well as more urban areas can make changes to increase the chances of survival. The Cardiac Ready Communities Program will assist communities in reaching their potential for improved cardiac arrest survival.

Website

http://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/EMSTS.aspx

Key Strengths

• Examine and strengthen each link in the Cardiac Chain of Survival
• Follow up community plans and assessments with state-level evaluation to ensure a truly Cardiac Ready Community
• Develop and implement several data collection systems to help drive change and improvement planning

Contact 

Janet Trethewey

Shari Graham

Team

Janet Trethewey, Cardiac Ready Communities program coordinator, EMS & Trauma Services, MT DPHHS

Shari Graham, EMS program manager, EMS & Trauma Services, MT DPHHS

Jim DeTienne, EMS-TS Section Supervisor, EMS & Trauma Services, MT DPHHS