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Front Row-Darryl Coontz, TCAD; Bob Simmons; Harles Simmons; Jeff Hawkins, TCAD; Amy Plott, Skaggs Emergency Department and Rodney Arnold, Skaggs Foundation President. Back Row-Jonathan Stakes, TCAD and Jon Schwinger, TCAD.

Since the spring of 2011 both Skaggs Regional Medical Center and Taney County Ambulance District (TCAD) have found that a new machine is helping save lives in the area.  “The EKG transmitting system is making a difference in our community,” explained Jeff Hawkins, Clinical Manager, TCAD.  “Since installed they have been used daily in our ambulances to transmit heart patient data to Skaggs Emergency Department.”

In the month of August, TCAD reported that the system was used 41 times.  “Financial support of life-saving programs such as the EKG transmitting system is vital to the Branson and Taney county communities,” said Rodney Arnold, President Skaggs Foundation.  “Thanks to a generous donation this is just one of the many devices that will continue to make a difference in the area.”

Bob Simmons, along with his father Harles Simmons presented a donation in the amount of $25,000 in memory of his mother, Ruth Simmons.  “I’m glad to be able to remember my mother by helping provide much needed, life-saving technology such as the EKG transmitting system,” said Bob Simmons.

“The EKG transmitting system is used on patients suspected of having a heart attack,” explained Hawkins.  “An electrocardiogram or EKG is sent directly to the hospital, where a physician can read it and determine if the patient is suffering a heart attack.”

If it’s determined the patient is having a heart attack, the catheterization – or CATH lab – team is activated.  “The less time it takes to determine if a patient is having a heart attack and get them into treatment, the less damage to the heart,” says Amy Plott, Director, Skaggs Emergency Department.  “Because time is muscle, the sooner we know we’re receiving a cardiac patient, the faster we can get them to treatment, resulting in a better outcome for that patient.”

“Not only does this allow the hospital time to prepare for the arrival of the patient, but the treatment enroute is enhanced because the paramedics on board the ambulance have this technology with them,” explains Hawkins.

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