New AHA Initiative Uses Tech to Close Gaps in Emergency Cardiac Care

The American Heart Association (AHA), supported by T-Mobile, is launching a new initiative to address critical communication gaps in emergency response for cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke. The initiative, announced during National EMS Week, aims to improve the use of technology in emergency medical services (EMS) systems. AHA will convene EMS agency leaders, hospital executives, and public health partners in 13 cities—including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco—to identify where technology can better close gaps in communication and coordination. The insights will produce actionable recommendations to strengthen emergency response, with a focus on integrating telehealth platforms, mobile stroke units, and other mobile technologies.

This new effort will be integrated into the AHA's Mission: Lifeline® EMS program, which already engages over 1,000 EMS agencies nationwide. The initiative is part of the broader Nation of Lifesavers movement, aiming to double survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030. In each of the 13 markets, regional forums will bring together EMS leaders to identify communication and technology gaps, generating market-level insights that feed into national learning and comparative data analysis. Annual national roundtables, co-hosted by AHA and T-Mobile, will convene technology leaders from EMS agencies to shape the future of emergency communication systems.

Dr. Kacey Kronenfeld, volunteer co-chair of the AHA's EMS Task Force, emphasized that when communication breaks down in the chain of survival, lives are lost. She noted that the AHA is uniquely positioned to lead this work as a national convener shaping next-generation emergency response. Rod Cruz, vice president of growth and emerging businesses at T-Mobile, stated that connectivity saves lives, and supporting the AHA in improving communication among EMS teams, dispatchers, and hospitals is a natural extension of that commitment. The initiative also aims to expand participation in Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition, encouraging more agencies to meet standards for guideline-directed care in cardiac and stroke emergencies. With T-Mobile's financial support, the AHA will work to close critical gaps and foster the best use of technology in emergency response systems of care.