EHAC Information
EHAC Early Heart Attack Care Education and the Deputy Heart Attack Program by American College of Cardiology Accreditation Services

About EHAC

Damage to the heart muscle and even death could be prevented if people are able to detect the symptoms before a major event occurs. The Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) was founded by Dr. Raymond D. Bahr with the goal of spreading the message that "Heart Attacks Have Beginnings" and creating a community of individuals dedicated to saving lives.

Thanks to Dr. Bahr’s vision and leadership, EHAC has reached more than 2.5 million people – all of whom have taken the pledge to recognize the signs and symptoms of an impending heart attack and call 9-1-1 and/or activate emergency services.

“We want people to not only recognize the signs, but spring into action and get immediate care,” says Bahr. “If they suspect someone is having a heart attack, we want them to find an AED, provide CPR, and call 911. We want to save not only a life but preserve heart muscle to preserve the quality of life.”


Contact Us

Do you have questions? Email community@acc.org

Do you have a story about EHAC? Submit your story.


EHAC Founder

EHAC Founder Dr. Raymond Bahr

The Deputy Heart Attack (DHA) program and the Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) are the brainchild of the ACC Accreditation Review Services Founder, Dr. Raymond D. Bahr. Dr. Bahr is passionate about cardiac care and preventive education. As the founding father of the ACC Accreditation Review Services (previously the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care), Dr. Bahr's passion to disseminate lifesaving information is a driving force for accreditation. Throughout his career, he has created multiple programs to help others understand the life saving measures that can save a life. In 1981 at St. Agnes Hospital, Dr. Bahr established the Chest Pain Emergency Department (CPED), the first such unit in the world. The initial purpose of this CPED was to provide prompt and effective treatment of patients presenting with heart attack/sudden death. The CPED was coupled with an aggressive education program that taught the community the early warning signs of a heart attack. This education program extended to middle and high school students via health and science curricula.