Penn Heart Rescue

A change of heart happens with just one phone call.

When a heart attack occurs, the interval between diagnosis and care can mean the difference between life and death. That's why Mercy Health System participates in the Penn Heart Rescue rapid referral program at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. 

When a patient comes to any Mercy Emergency Department and are diagnosed with a heart condition that requires highly specialized tertiary or quaternary interventions, a physician immediately makes a call to the Penn Heart Rescue Team.

Within minutes, the patient is transferred (by helicopter or ambulance) to Penn Presbyterian and continues to receive treatment from the nation's leading cardiac specialists. Patients are fast tracked to receive emergency care, such as an emergency angioplasty procedure or high-risk surgery.

By partnering with Penn, we are reducing the time to treatment by almost half - saving time and saving lives in their communities.