The American Heart Association (AHA) announced a new initiative to improve emergency response for cardiac and stroke emergencies by addressing critical communication and technology gaps. The program, launched during National EMS Week, will convene EMS agency leadership, hospital executives, and public health partners in 13 cities to identify how technology can be better utilized to close these gaps and produce recommendations for strengthening future emergency response.
Supported by T-Mobile, the initiative will focus on cities including Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. According to the AHA, reliable communication among dispatch, EMS crews, and receiving hospitals is vital when someone experiences cardiac arrest, a heart attack, or a stroke. However, the rapid adoption of mobile technologies—such as telehealth platforms and mobile stroke units—has created gaps in systems of care that can jeopardize patient outcomes.
This initiative will be integrated into the AHA's Mission: Lifeline EMS program, which engages more than 1,000 EMS agencies nationwide to help systems of care work together more effectively. It is also part of the AHA's Nation of Lifesavers movement, which aims 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 AHA'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, the AHA will host regional system of care forums to bring together EMS leaders and identify communication and technology gaps. These forums will generate market-level insights that feed into national learning, comparative data analysis, and actionable improvement strategies. Additionally, annual national roundtables co-hosted by the AHA 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 AHA will also work to expand participation in Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition nationwide, encouraging more agencies to meet the program's standards for guideline-directed care in cardiac and stroke emergencies. The initiative aims to address the critical need for seamless communication in emergency response, potentially improving survival rates and outcomes for patients experiencing life-threatening cardiac events.
