The American Heart Association announced a new initiative aimed at addressing critical communication and technology gaps in emergency response for cardiac and stroke emergencies. The effort, supported by T-Mobile, will convene EMS leaders, hospital executives, and public health partners in 13 cities to identify where technology can be better utilized and to produce recommendations for strengthening emergency care systems.
When someone experiences cardiac arrest, a heart attack, or a stroke, reliable communication between dispatch, EMS crews, and receiving hospitals can mean the difference between life and death. Yet as mobile technologies—from telehealth platforms to mobile stroke units—rapidly transform emergency response, gaps in systems of care can arise. The American Heart Association's initiative, launched to mark National EMS Week, seeks to directly address these gaps 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 Nation of Lifesavers movement, a national effort aiming to double survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030.
“When communication breaks down in the chain of survival, people die. This initiative translates our national mission into market-level action—working alongside EMS leaders to improve care in real communities,” said Dr. Kacey Kronenfeld, volunteer co-chair of the American Heart Association’s EMS Task Force. “The American Heart Association is uniquely positioned to lead this work, in its role as a national convener shaping next-generation emergency response.”
In each of the 13 target markets—Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco—the Association will host regional system of care forums bringing together EMS leaders to identify and close communication and technology gaps. These forums will generate market-level 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 underscores the importance of seamless communication in the chain of survival and aims to leverage technology to bridge existing gaps, ultimately saving more lives.
