Walter S. Graf

Walter Samuel Graf (July 15, 1917 – October 18, 2015) was an American cardiologist. He was a pioneer in establishing paramedic emergency care, "one of a handful of doctors who created the modern paramedic emergency system".

Early life and education

He was born in New York City, the son of a high-end jewelry designer, and raised in The Bronx. He attended the City College of New York and received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco in 1942. During World War II he served as an Army physician in Europe and North Africa.

Career

He had a private practice in Los Angeles as a cardiologist, primarily at the Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood, California, and also at Los Angeles County Hospital, both of which he served as chief of staff. He was a clinical professor for Loma Linda University and the University of Southern California, and chaired both the State Commission on Emergency Medical Services and the California Medical Association Committee on Emergency Medicine.

Emergency medical care

During the 1960s he created a dedicated coronary care unit at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, thought to be the first such unit on the West Coast. He became concerned about the lack of actual medical care being given to coronary patients during emergency transportation to a hospital. In 1969, while serving as president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Heart Association, he created a "mobile critical care unit", consisting of a Chevrolet Van, a registered nurse, and a portable defibrillator.