Transporting patients by helicopter is more efficient for nurses and staff at Graham Hospital in Canton. A new program is flying patients in record time and helping save lives.

A new program allows the hospital to transfer critical care patients to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in record time.

Fifty-three-year-old Gary Leese hopes to gain more control over his health by participating in a cardiac rehab class at Graham Hospital's Wellness Center.

Last month the Canton man came to the emergency room complaining of chest pain.

"When we got there I didn't really think there was much of a problem and just told the receptionist that I was having chest pain and the next thing you know I was swooped up into an emergency room," said Leese.

He says doctor's quickly recognized his symptoms as the initial stages of a heart attack and immediately began the process of transferring him to OSF St. Francis Medical Center for treatment via the Heart 777 program.

Vice President of Patient Services Sara Kimble said, "The new program is designed to get patients from outside regions to OSF as quick as possible."

Heart 777 is a partnership between OSF, Graham and Heartcare Midwest. For Leese that transfer time was 8 to 15 minutes from Graham hospital's new helipad now onsite at the facility.

Hospital CEO Bob Senneff said, "The old model had the helicopter land at the local high school gymnasium. We had to clear the parking lot, the patient had to leave our building in an ambulance, go down there and get into the helipad, into the helicopter and now they go directly from the hospital."

Once at OSF doctors put a stint in Gary Leese's heart. Leese says by the time his wife drove from Canton he was in recovery.

Dr. Darrel Gumm with Heartcare Midwest said, "The vessel was promptly opened up. We really believe we saved a substantial amount of heart muscle. It's a fantastic program and a way to really impact on people's lives and make them live longer."

"ecause of that practice and being well rehearsed that's what kept the tissue damage from happening. I'm very grateful for that," said Leese.

And now Leese,a co-restaurant owner with his wife, plans to get his health and life back on track.

Graham Hospital officials say the Heart 777 program makes the facility more competitive with state of the art equipment and better patient care.

The goal of the program is to get critical patients to Peoria's OSF within 77 minutes from the time care begins.