For an unstable patient, our process is much the same - the EMTs will put in the IVs, and we'll bypass the ER to proceed directly to the cath lab. For stable patients, the EMTs will prioritize getting them to the hospital as fast as possible and often won't have the time to get the IVs into place before they arrive. (This part of the county has a ridiculous density of hospitals, so the ambulance ride is frequently not even five minutes long, which doesn't give the EMTs that much time to work.)
We've found that things go little more smoothly if we do some of the prep in the ER, where there's a little more space for people to undress the patient etc. without worrying about bumping into the expense catheter equipment or compromising sterility, but even stable patients aren't supposed to spend more than five minutes there before being rushed to cath.
I do wish we had some way to directly transmit EKGs and vitals. American hospitals seem to have more money available for electronic equipment like that. (On the other hand, in Germany, the whole hospital stay including the catheter and a day in the ICU, probably won't cost you more than 10.000 Euro, and usually less than that.)
We've found that things go little more smoothly if we do some of the prep in the ER, where there's a little more space for people to undress the patient etc. without worrying about bumping into the expense catheter equipment or compromising sterility, but even stable patients aren't supposed to spend more than five minutes there before being rushed to cath.
I do wish we had some way to directly transmit EKGs and vitals. American hospitals seem to have more money available for electronic equipment like that. (On the other hand, in Germany, the whole hospital stay including the catheter and a day in the ICU, probably won't cost you more than 10.000 Euro, and usually less than that.)