When someone suffered from cardiac arrest, especially when it happens outside of the community, it is important that the necessary emergency procedures are done to keep the victim alive. One of the measures to be done is cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. In the performance of CPR, there are times that a defibrillator is used. A defibrillator provides electrical energy to the affected heart. To make sure that the defibrillator can be used outside of the hospital, the automated external defibrillator was created. This portable electronic device reestablishes an effective rhythm to the heart.
Availability of AED in any area is very crucial in saving the lives of the people. According to the statistics of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) in 2001 and 2002, there were almost 7,000 workplace fatalities wherein more than 1,200 were caused by heart attack, 354 from electric shock, and almost 270 from asphyxia. OHSA said that up to 60 percent of the figures mentioned would have been saved if there were availability of AED in the place of incident. This government agency also mentioned that a person’s chance in surviving from a sudden cardiac arrest diminishes by up to 10 percent in every minute that there is no emergency measures taken.
Having an AED in the offices, schools, or any other places where the public is high in number is extremely important. In line with this, it is important that there is proper AED program management. Those institutions with this portable electronic device must also check their AED medical oversight programs and make proper assessments regarding it. In assessing the AED medical oversight, some of the questions to be asked are: Are they satisfied with the quality of the program? and Would they use the program for their own AED units? When there is a right AED program management on hand, it helps companies with this device to have reduced legal exposure.
There are a number of legislated federal laws in the United States concerning the use of AED. Some of the titles of the laws passed are Liability Regarding Emergency Use of Automated External Defibrillators, Recommendations and Guidelines Regarding Automated External Defibrillators for Federal Buildings, Public Access Defibrillation Demonstration Projects, and Recommendations and Guidelines Regarding Automated External Defibrillators for Federal Buildings. Following those laws would certainly provide better services to the people inside a company and school among others.
One company that would help with regards to proper program management of AED is Citywide CPR Inc. The company is based in Chicagoland/Metropolitan Area and is also a provider of trainings in CPR, BLS, ACLS, PALS, and First Aid. With regards to the company’s medical oversight direction service, Citywide CPR would help their clients have total compliance with the law to protect them from any potential lawsuits. Citywide CPR has a licensed physician to assist them and also to ensure that quality service is only provided. The company is based in numerous locations across United States.
For more information about AED medical oversight and AED program management, please visit our website.
