Regional Partnership Secures Funding to Support Emergency Cardiac Care in Twin County
October 22, 2026
A collaborative investment from Galax City, Grayson County, Carroll County and the Twin County Community Foundation will help ensure local emergency medical services can continue transmitting critical cardiac information directly to Twin County Regional Healthcare's Emergency Department before a patient arrives.
Together, the four community partners provided the full $32,295 needed for the Stryker LIFENET System renewal and upgrade. Galax City, Grayson County and Carroll County each contributed $5,000, while the Twin County Community Foundation contributed the remaining $17,295.
The LIFENET System allows participating EMS agencies to electronically transmit a patient's 12-lead EKG from the field directly to the Emergency Department at Twin County Regional Healthcare. For a patient experiencing signs or symptoms of a possible heart attack or other acute cardiac event, this gives physicians and clinical staff important cardiac information while the patient is still en route to the hospital.
Having that information in advance allows the Emergency Department team to begin reviewing the patient's cardiac information and preparing for their arrival, helping support timely and coordinated care between EMS and hospital providers.
"This is a wonderful example of what can happen when our communities come together around a shared goal," said William Alley, MHA, BSN, RN, CEO of Twin County Regional Healthcare. "Galax City, Grayson County, Carroll County and the Twin County Community Foundation recognized the importance of maintaining this connection between our EMS partners and Emergency Department. Their willingness to work together and invest in the health and safety of our community will make a meaningful difference for the people we serve."
The system is currently used by Galax-Grayson EMS, Carroll County EMS and some volunteer squads in Grayson County to transmit 12-lead EKGs and provide advance notification to Twin County Regional Healthcare. According to the funding proposal, the system recorded between 25 and 56 transmissions per month during the past year, with the highest monthly utilization occurring in March.
The current LIFENET platform is scheduled to be discontinued at the end of 2026. The funding will provide for a 60-month contract, allowing the system to be upgraded and continued without an interruption in this important communication between local EMS agencies and the hospital.
Galax-Grayson EMS and Carroll County EMS are also recognized as Partners in Care with Twin County Regional Healthcare by the American College of Cardiology as part of the hospital's Chest Pain Accreditation program. Pre-hospital EKG transmission and notification are important components of the region's established cardiac care process.
The collaboration represents more than an investment in technology. It reflects a shared commitment among local government, EMS, healthcare and community partners to protect the health and safety of residents throughout the Twin County region.
Funding contributions include:
- Galax City: $5,000
- Grayson County: $5,000
- Carroll County: $5,000
- Twin County Community Foundation: $17,295
- Total: $32,295
About Twin County Regional Healthcare
Twin County Regional Hospital (TCRH) is the flagship of the Twin County Regional Healthcare delivery system, a Duke LifePoint Healthcare affiliate, centered on the mission “Making Communities Healthier®. The hospital is in Galax, Virginia, the center of the Twin Counties of Grayson and Carroll Counties in Southwest Virginia. Twin County Regional Hospital has been the anchor and the region’s leader of healthcare for over 50 years offering services such as acute care, inpatient behavioral health, cardiac rehab/cardio direct, cardiology, cardiopulmonary services, chronic disease management, diagnostic imaging, emergency services, intensive care, lab/lab direct, occupational health, orthopedics, rehabilitation services, stroke center, surgical services, neurology, urology, women’s health and birthing center and many other services. For additional information, please call 276.236.8181 or visit www.TCRH.org or find TCRH on Facebook.
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