by Joan Mellor, Medtronic Foundation, 02/26/2013
Did you know you are more likely to survive a plane crash than sudden cardiac arrest?
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, you have a 95 percent chance of survival. Cardiac arrest? On average, 8 percent. A national rate that has not moved significantly in more than 30 years despite technological, medical and citizen training improvements.
In my job, I get to ask the question “why and how could that be?” This is a significant public health issue. Sudden cardiac arrest (or SCA) kills nearly 400,000 people a year. That’s more than breast, lung, colon and prostate cancer combined.
I also have the privilege of supporting the work of some of the world’s most dedicated and gifted lifesavers—people who are doing something about it. We call it the HeartRescue Project (www.heartrescueproject.com)
They come from seemingly unconnected areas of society (leading universities, EMS agencies, patient advocacy groups, non-profits, emergency physicians and cardiologists, private industry) to save more people from SCA.
They represent pockets of success… local and regional efforts that have demonstrated improvements in SCA survival outcomes. They are dedicated to measuring and improving their systems, and sharing their success in order to address a large gap in geographical, economic and ethnic survival rates. Across the country, survival rates fluctuate by as much as 500 percent. In addition, SCA is not currently a reportable event so data collection is sporadic, limiting the ability for systemic improvement.
We are working with expert partners from six states and a national EMS provider (Universities of Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Washington, Duke University in North Carolina and American Medical Response), on a new paradigm of care: a recognized, replicable systems-based model, data driven from beginning to end, with the aim of national improvement in SCA Survival.
The HeartRescue Project was launched in March 2011, with the ultimate goal of improving survival rates by 50% over five years in the geographies funded. Two key strategies drive our vision:
1. Validate and scale community to state-wide initiatives based on evidence based best-practices, shown here to illustrate the approach:
2. Improve citizen response to sudden cardiac arrest.
Public education is an important component of the HeartRescue Project’s mission. Studies show that when CPR is performed, the chance of survival doubles, and when CPR and an AED is used, survival rates can triple. In addition, research shows that short 60 second training videos are as effective as much longer traditional training classes.
To generate mass awareness of how to respond to SCA, and to also put a spotlight on the project’s efforts, we developed a highly immersive online experience called the Save-a-Life Simulator. Visitors to www.HeartRescueNow.com are immersed into a life or death situation of choosing to respond – or not – while witnessing someone suffer SCA. The Save-A-Life Simulator bridges the gap between classroom training and a real crisis, showcasing three simple steps in a cardiac emergency: 1.) Call 911 2.) Start CPR 3.) Use an AED.
Overall we are very pleased with the progress to date since the March 2011 launch of the HeartRescue Project. Our partner states are reporting 60% or more of their populations now covered by program activities and data collection efforts.
We have also increased education and awareness through journal publications, presentations at society meetings, Resuscitation Academies, national distribution of the HeartRescue Community SCA Response Guide, and use of the project’s website, with > 25,000 visits per month to HeartRescueProject.com.
Several partner states developed unified statewide protocols for SCA response at the prehospital level of care, and regionally at the hospital level of care. In addition, legislation was passed in Minnesota, Illinois, and Pennsylvania around CPR and SCA education in schools.
Lastly, we are proud to report that more than 5 million people have saved a virtual life on HeartRescueNow.com since April 2012 launch.
HeartRescue has been a rewarding adventure so far, and we look forward to reporting outcomes, continuing our education and awareness efforts, and building a national bystander response to ultimately save more lives. Won’t you join us?