Public Access of Automated External Defibrillators. Fargo Cass Public Health AED Project of The Dakota Medical Foundation.
Creators: name: Mateuszczyk, Jarek
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCD) affects between 200,000 and 400,000 people in the U.S. each year. These statistics indicate that a very serious public health problem is present. The only effective treatment of these conditions is early (within a few minutes) application of defibrillation – an electric shock provided by a specialized device called a defibrillator. However, the presence of only a small number of qualified rescuers equipped with the defibrillator immediately available at the scene of cardiac arrest, significantly limits an effective intervention. To overcome this limitation a portable lifesaving machine was constructed, called an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The American Heart Association estimates that nearly 20,000 lives can be saved each year through the use of AEDs. In an effort to disseminate AEDs in communities across the United States and prepare the population for their use, Public Access Defibrillation programs were introduced – starting in 1990s. AEDs were utilized by many segments of the population including police, firefighters, airline crews, and even completely non-trained individuals. The results from several studies observing the effectiveness of the public access defibrillation programs have shown a significant improvement in the survival rate of individuals that suffer from cardiac arrests. One of these Public Access Defibrillation programs that allocate AEDs to the community is based in Fargo, North Dakota, sponsored by the Dakota Medical Foundation, and coordinated through the Fargo Cass Public Health. Since its inception, the initiative has assisted local communities, by providing funding to place a total of 528 AEDs and associated training required to operate the AED. Available information indicates that 23 lives have been saved through the use of AEDs from this Program. In order to assist similar programs throughout the U.S., several state and federal regulations have been enacted – all of which encourage and regulate AEDs use, designate grants, and provide legal immunity for individuals providing emergency public defibrillation treatment.The allocation of AEDs to locations with the highest risk of sudden cardiac death is the most cost effective method of their use. However placement of these devices in other locations with a smaller rate of SCD is fully justified and supportive due to the specific features of these given locations. Another important aspect of a successful Public Access Defibrillation initiative is to have leaders and managers in place that provide both a visionary and competent view to the program itself. The results of many research studies, coupled with the practical experience of the Fargo Cass Public Health AED Program, has shown that Public Access Defibrillation programs utilizing Automated External Defibrillators are critical elements of resuscitation efforts and significantly contribute to a more effective and cost efficient system of health care delivery.