WETHERSFIELD — Many things had to come together for one 74 year-old patient to survive the morning of October 26th. He needed the rapid dispatch of advanced care. He needed definitive cardiac care. But possibly the most important key to his survival: a skilled EMS team needed to show up at the door.

 Aetna’s Jeff D’Albero, Ashley Kramer and the Aetna Operations Supervisor responded to the 911 call for difficulty breathing. Upon arrival of the crew from Aetna Ambulance, his  breathing was agonal (a last few instinctive breaths) and his heart was in ventricular fibrillation; a non-perfusing, lethal heart rhythm. After intubation, ACLS medications, three rounds of defibrillation and three cardioversions the patient was in a normal, perfusing heart rhythm upon arrival at [Hospital].

The patient’s spouse returned a Patient Satisfaction Survey with the following response:

“The people who responded that day were terrific. They literally saved [his] life. Thank you for the bottom of our hearts.”

Seven days later, and out of pure coincidence, Jeff returned to [Hospital] to transport the same gentleman to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation of the minimal deficits he incurred. Today, the patient is resting and recovering at home. He said, “make sure they know I deeply appreciate what they did.”

Note: The use of details, dates, treatments and other conditions are done with the express written permission of the patient.