Mission: Lifeline® EMS Recognition

Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition is a program designed to showcase prehospital agencies nationwide for excellence in heart attack and stroke care. Prehospital personnel are the first care providers to patients suffering from acute emergencies. Your role in the care system for these patients is crucial and often sets the course for the patient’s outcome. The Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition program was launched in 2014 and continues to celebrate the achievement of the prehospital providers and their collaboration with each other and hospitals specific to patient care.

Why Participate in Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition?

Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition is the American Heart Association’s program that recognizes prehospital emergency agencies for their quality of care for heart attack and stroke patients. The recognition program focuses on transforming care quality by connecting all heart attack and stroke care components into a seamlessly integrated care system. Key tenets of these systems of care reinforce evidence-based guidelines and measure performance, identify gaps, and engage in quality improvement.

New 2023 Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition

2023 Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition (based on 2022 data) marks the addition of required stroke measures.  With the new recognition program structure, eligibility is available for transporting and non-transporting prehospital agencies.

The Target Heart Attack (STEMI) designation focuses on coordinating care between prehospital agencies and the destination hospital. This time-critical award level is limited to those agencies that provide patient transport to STEMI-receiving and STEMI-referring centers. For an agency to be eligible for the Mission: Lifeline Target Heart Attack award, it must first meet the criteria of the Mission: Lifeline EMS Prehospital award (Gold, Silver, or Bronze)

See the EMS Recognition Criteria for the specific required measures.

Mission Lifeline Prehospital Recognition | Frequently Asked Questions. 

2023 Application Information

Application Period

• January 13-March 31 - Midnight Central Time
• How to apply
1. Review slides from the national webinar on January 12, 2023 or view the webinar and corresponding Q&A section below
2. Review 2023 Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition Measures document
3. Review 2023 Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition Infographic
4. View and download the fillable Application Worksheet. Please use this form to gather all 2023 data (based on 2022 records).
5. Abstract data from your agency ePCR.
6. Visit the application website using this link to apply. 
• Optional Office Hours (bring your application questions) - After the initial training - sessions will be scheduled where you can ask your specific, individual questions about your application. Check back for specific dates and registration links.
• Reminders
• New application does not automatically save.
• Office Hours | Save The Date
• February 15, 2023*
• March 22, 2023*
• *Subject to change
• March 31, 2023: application submission period closes at 11:59pm CST.

Recognition Ad Kit and Certification Distribution

2023 Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition certification and distribution will occur in late spring / early summer 2023. Please check the website after May 1, 2023, for a more detailed timeline.

For questions, please email [email protected].
The American Heart Association appreciates your continued commitment to providing quality care to the communities you serve.

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