Diamond award shines Hatzolah’s global reputation for care

Hatzolah Medical Rescue has an excellent track record in emergency care, but last week, it was internationally recognised for its treatment of strokes.

The World Stroke Organization (WSO) Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Angels Diamond Award was granted to Hatzolah on 29 August for the second quarter of 2024. This was the first time that the WSO has given this award to any organisation in Africa.

The EMS Angels Awards was established to acknowledge the top-performing providers of pre-hospital stroke care and is highly prestigious within the emergency medical services community.

It’s awarded to organisations that demonstrate outstanding performance, particularly in the management of time-sensitive emergencies like strokes. Receiving this award places Hatzolah among the top EMS providers, not just in South Africa, but globally.

Strokes are the second leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and are responsible for 116 million years of healthy life lost each year, according to the WSO.

“Accepting this award was a significant milestone for Hatzolah,” said Hatzolah Medical Manager Yudi Singer. “It acknowledges the hard work, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence that our team demonstrates daily. It’s more than just a trophy, it’s a validation of our effort to uphold the highest standards in emergency medical services.

“This award represents the culmination of years of focused work in areas like stroke management, where every second counts. It symbolises the collaboration, innovation, and shared commitment of our volunteers and professionals to improving patient outcomes. For Hatzolah, this recognition embodies our core values: caring for life; community service; and the principle that saving one life is akin to saving an entire world.”

The WSO EMS Angels Initiative works with hospitals and EMS providers to ensure that more patients get the best treatment faster. This involves standardising and optimising pre-hospital stroke care, monitoring performance, and sharing data between hospitals and EMS providers.

“It underscores the importance of our work and motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve,” said Singer.

To be considered for an EMS award, medical services need to be registered with the WSO; offer an established annual stroke education or refresher programme; make use of stroke scales in the management of their stroke patients; and submit data for at least 30 consecutive stroke patients during the previous quarter.

To achieve diamond status, medical services need to be on the scene in less than 25 minutes; have a 95% rate of prenotification to a hospital; have 95% of patients delivered to stroke-ready hospitals; and have time last known to be normal for 95% of patients and medication recorded.

“We believe we received this award due to our dedication to continuous improvement, particularly in stroke management,” said Singer. “Our team has been diligent in training, using simulation exercises and implementing best practice to ensure that our response isn’t just fast, but also highly effective.” Hatzolah’s collaborative approach with hospitals, its strict adherence to protocols, and the use of cutting-edge tools like the Angel’s pre-hospital checklist all contributed to it achieving diamond status.

He said Hatzolah had implemented advanced stroke-management protocols including prenotification of hospitals and direct transport to CT scans when possible. It continues to build strong relationships with local hospitals, ensuring seamless co-ordination during emergencies, and is engaged in continuous data submission and analysis to refine its processes and improve patient outcomes.

“Winning the EMS Angels Diamond Award enhances our reputation, strengthens our relationships with hospitals, and attracts more volunteers and support,” said Singer. “It also encourages our team to continue striving for excellence, knowing that its efforts are making a significant difference in the lives of those they serve.”