Name
STEMI Systems of Care: From First Medical Contact to the Cath Lab
Date & Time
Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Speakers
Nolan Machernis, MD, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical CenterDirector, Cardiac Catheterization LaboratoryNolan Machernis, MD, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. He brings nearly a decade of clinical experience, providing care in both inpatient and outpatient settings across the Buffalo and greater Milwaukee areas.
Dr. Machernis earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania before completing his Doctor of Medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. He remained at the University at Buffalo for his internal medicine residency, followed by four years of advanced fellowship training in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
His clinical expertise includes coronary angiography, complex coronary interventions, peripheral vascular angiography and interventions, as well as interpretation of ECGs, stress tests, and echocardiograms.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Machernis serves as the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Great Lakes Cardiovascular in Niagara Falls.
Description
ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) demands rapid recognition, decisive treatment, and seamless coordination between EMS and hospital teams. Led by Dr. Nolan Machernis, Chief of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, this session explores current STEMI care with a focus on the critical role of EMS in early identification, ECG interpretation, prehospital cath lab activation, and transport decisions that reduce time to reperfusion. Through case-based discussion, participants will review STEMI recognition, common diagnostic challenges, and best practices for improving patient outcomes within regional STEMI systems of care.
Following the lecture, attendees will participate in an exclusive, hands-on tour of the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. Participants will experience the cath lab environment firsthand, observe the equipment and workflow used during emergent PCI, learn the roles of the interventional cardiology team, and see how prehospital assessment and communication directly influence patient care once the patient arrives. This unique behind-the-scenes experience strengthens the connection between EMS and hospital providers while providing practical insight into the complete continuum of STEMI care.
NYS CME: All Levels - Core - Cardiology
Session Type
Pre-Conference Session
