Merit Health River Oaks and Pafford EMS Announce EMS Partner in Care Recognition from the American College of Cardiology
12/17/2025
FLOWOOD, MS - December 17, 2025 - Merit Health River Oaks is proud to celebrate its strong partnership with Pafford EMS, which has been recognized by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) with the prestigious Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Partner in Care Recognition. This honor is awarded to EMS agencies that demonstrate exceptional collaboration with an ACC-accredited or certified Chest Pain Center to ensure the highest level of care for patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.
The ACC’s EMS Partner in Care Recognition highlights EMS agencies that maintain robust, ongoing relationships with their partner Chest Pain Centers. These partnerships ensure seamless communication, rapid response and coordinated care during cardiac emergencies, essential components in improving patient outcomes when every minute matters.
Merit Health River Oaks earned its Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI in December of 2020, following a rigorous onsite evaluation of its ability to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. Since that time, the hospital has continued strengthening its collaboration with EMS partners to enhance patient care across the region.
“This recognition affirms the exceptional teamwork between our hospital and Pafford EMS,” said Julia Thompson, M.D., chest pain medical director at Merit Health River Oaks. “Heart attack care begins long before a patient reaches our doors. The skill, communication, and rapid assessment provided by EMS give patients the best possible chance for survival and recovery. We are proud to partner with such a dedicated agency committed to excellence in pre-hospital cardiac care.”
Pafford EMS’s leadership also emphasized the significance of this recognition. “We are honored to receive the ACC’s EMS Partner in Care designation and proud of our collaboration with Merit Health River Oaks,” said Freddie Parker, chief operating officer of Pafford EMS. “Our teams work closely with the hospital to streamline care, share data, and continually improve processes. This partnership enhances the lifesaving care we provide to our community every day.”
The EMS Partner in Care Recognition underscores a shared commitment between EMS providers and Chest Pain Centers to deliver rapid, evidence-based, patient-centered care during cardiac emergencies. Together, Merit Health River Oaks and Pafford EMS remain dedicated to strengthening systems of care that save lives and improve outcomes for patients across the region.
For more information about the American College of Cardiology and its Chest Pain Center Accreditation and EMS Partner in Care programs, visit www.acc.org.
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