SOUTHAVEN, Miss., July 23, 2009 – Dr. Stanley Thompson, medical director of emergency services at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto, recently presented an EMT Code STEMI course in the hospital’s new simulation lab to 49 DeSoto County paramedics.

A STEMI – ST elevation myocardial infarctions – is the initial acute phase of a heart attack that occurs prior to the loss of the heart muscle. In a STEMI, the coronary artery is completely blocked off by the blood clot, and as a result, the part of the heart that receives blood from the affected artery starts to die.

“The course instructed paramedics on how to quickly recognize the STEMI from a patient’s home to get appropriate teams involved early to ultimately save more lives,” said Thompson. “There is a 90-minute window to intervene on a patient to maintain heart muscle, and early recognition and treatment is vital.”

The simulation lab at Baptist DeSoto is a 2,400-square-foot clinical training center with patient simulators that can talk, breathe and bleed. The simulators allow staff to learn new skills in real life situations without affecting patient care.

Baptist DeSoto is a 339-bed hospital that offers diagnostic, surgical and rehabilitation services. In 2001, the hospital completed an expansion project that nearly doubled its size, expanded its labor and delivery services and added open-heart surgery and radiation therapy. In April 2001, the Baptist DeSoto Outpatient Diagnostic Center and Women’s Center opened, which houses DeSoto County’s first open MRI, mammography services and other diagnostic tools. In November 2006, Baptist DeSoto opened a new, 11-story tower, featuring all-private rooms, expanded operating suites and a new emergency room.

For more information about Baptist DeSoto, please call 662-772-4000 or visit desoto.baptistonline.org.

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