Improving emergency care for heart attack patients in rural areas
Official title: Digital EMS Point of Care Innovation to Improve Rural STEMI Outcomes
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-10916526 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a helpful mobile app for paramedics in rural areas to make sure they can give the best care to heart attack patients before they get to the hospital, aiming to speed up treatment and improve outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $137,142 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HS029234-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10916526 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are rural residents who are at risk of or experiencing ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).
✕Less likely to help
Patients living in urban areas or those not experiencing STEMI may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance the treatment of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in rural America by developing a digital tool for emergency medical services (EMS). The project will create a mobile application that provides paramedics with real-time, evidence-based guidelines to improve patient care before they reach the hospital. By addressing the unique challenges faced by rural EMS, the tool seeks to reduce the time it takes for patients to receive critical treatments. The initial testing will occur in a rural county in North Carolina, focusing on usability and effectiveness in improving care delivery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the time it takes for rural patients experiencing a heart attack to receive life-saving treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that digital tools can improve emergency care outcomes, suggesting potential success for this innovative approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahler, Simon a — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mahler, Simon a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
AI screening to speed STEMI diagnosis in ED patients
A Stanford-led project uses artificial intelligence to quickly identify STEMI among ED patients with acute coronary syndrome to reduce treatment delays and improve outcomes.
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Improving heart attack diagnosis using artificial intelligence
This study is working on using artificial intelligence to help emergency departments quickly and accurately identify heart attacks, especially for women and people of color who might not get diagnosed as fast, so everyone can receive the care they need within the first 10 minutes of arriving.
-
Early single antiplatelet therapy after IVUS-guided PCI in ACS
This study tests whether stopping aspirin early and continuing a potent P2Y12 inhibitor alone is safe and effective after IVUS-guided PCI in people with acute coronary syndrome.
-
Drug-coated balloon treatment during emergency angioplasty for STEMI
This registry will try using drug-coated balloons instead of stents during emergency PCI for people with ST-elevation heart attacks to see how the procedure and patient outcomes compare.
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Early intravenous landiolol to limit heart muscle damage after STEMI
This study tries early IV landiolol versus standard oral beta-blockers to see if it reduces the amount of heart muscle damage in adults with STEMI who undergo primary PCI.
-
Retinal OCTA to detect tiny blood vessel problems in people with MINOCA
This project will use a quick retinal OCTA scan to see if tiny blood vessel changes differ in people with MINOCA compared with heart attack patients who have blocked arteries and with healthy volunteers.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.