08/04/2025
RWJBarnabas Health and RWJBarnabas Health Mobile Health Receive Awards from The American Heart Association
RWJBarnabas Health Mobile Health recently received The 2025 Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Award and the Mission: Lifeline System of Care Target Heart Attack Award from the American Heart Association. These awards recognized RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to quality care for heart attacks and stroke patients in New Jersey. “We are thrilled to be receiving this award which is a testament to our commitment to excellence in emergency care,” states James Smith, Senior Vice President, Mobile Health, RWJBarnabas Health.
RWJBarnabas Health Mobile Health received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives. “We are proud of more than 1700 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) members on our team who are in the community ready every day to respond,” remarked Mr. Smith. This award is the culmination of many years of work between the RWJBH Mobile Health Teams, the emergency departments and the cardiac catheterization teams across RWJBarnabas Health. RWJBarnabas Health Mobile Health received the Silver award in 2023 and the Gold Award in 2024. The relentless pursuit of excellence has resulted in the Gold Award along with the Target Heart Attack Award in 2025.
Emergency Medical Services staff begin treatment upon arrival at the scene of the emergency, up to an hour sooner than if someone was transported to the hospital by car. The paramedics in the field can perform and interpret EKGs. When a heart attack is identified, they transmit this critical information to the physician in the emergency department and the cardiovascular interventionalist to activate the team at the receiving hospital. EMS staff are also trained to provide resuscitation efforts to someone whose heart has stopped. This award recognizes the importance of pre-hospital team in delivering coordinated lifesaving care in the community.
Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks and strokes. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge.
RWJBarnabas Health emergency departments work closely with our EMS partners to ensure teams are ready when the ambulance arrives. Receiving the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline System of Care Target Heart Attack award recognizes the collaboration and contributions of both prehospital and hospital providers. “Early notification by EMS teams in the field to the receiving hospital saves lives. Our EMS team members play a vital role in the healthcare system across the state,” continued Mr. Smith. This award highlights not only the quality of EMS care, but of the receiving STEMI centers throughout our RWJBH System.
To learn more or to become a member of New Jersey’s largest EMS network of providers, go to rwjbh.org/mobilehealth
