According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, roughly 300,000 Americans will experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) this year. Of those 300,000 individuals, only 8 percent will survive.
In response to staggering statistics and a need to enhance proper recognition and initial treatment of cardiac arrest in Marion County, Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has created Indy Cardiac Arrest Registry and Education Service (IndyCARES), a nonprofit division of the agency with an overall mission of improving OHCA survival rates throughout Indianapolis. In order to support this mission, IndyCARES has two primary functions:
Data/system management – IndyCARES maintains a comprehensive cardiac arrest registry used to provide an overview of cardiac arrests in Marion County and to identify potential areas for quality improvement in the Indianapolis area.
Focused community outreach and education – IndyCARES has the ability to focus its efforts and provide education and community outreach to areas most in need. The IndyCARES team educates people on how to recognize cardiac arrest and how to perform effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when the need arises.
Since its inception in June 2011, IndyCARES’s efforts have aided in improving the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), or sudden restored circulation to the body, rates in the pre-hospital setting after an OHCA.
According to the American Heart Association, signs of ROSC can include breathing (more than an occasional gasp), coughing or movement. Achieving ROSC can also greatly improve neurologic function in patients receiving care, and, looking at the statistics, the efforts of IndyCARES are proving successful. As of Sept. 4, Indianapolis EMS has achieved an overall out-of-hospital ROSC rate of 43 percent. In addition, the ROSC rate of patients who were discharged from the hospital with a cerebral performance category (CPC) of one, meaning the patient was alert with normal function, was 7 percent.
“Whether or not CPR is in progress when EMS arrives could mean the difference between life and death when someone is suffering from cardiac arrest. Furthermore, bystander CPR is an incredibly strong predictor of good neurologic outcome in those who regain pulses after suffering cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Dan O’Donnell, deputy medical director for Indianapolis EMS and assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the IU School of Medicine. “The community outreach efforts of IndyCARES help put us face-to-face with people in our community to emphasize the impact they can have on saving lives.”
As of April 10, Indianapolis EMS and IndyCARES have attended 14 health fairs or community events totaling nearly 1,100 interactions. These interactions include practical teaching of hands-only CPR, ambulance tours, providing educational handouts and giveaways, answering questions about becoming an EMT or paramedic, and fielding general questions about Indianapolis EMS and CPR recertification.
IndyCARES continues to educate the Indianapolis community on effective hands-only CPR skills, working to improve the rate of CPR performed by bystanders prior to EMS arrival on the scene. As of Sept. 4, out of 436 working cardiac arrests, 102 Indianapolis EMS patients received bystander CPR for an overall rate of 23 percent. This is an increase from the 15 percent bystander CPR rate in 2011. With continuing community outreach, IEMS hopes to further increase this rate.
IndyCARES also provides opportunities for educational presentations and hands-only CPR demonstrations. Anyone interested in having a member of the IndyCARES team present at their event should contact IndyCARES at information@indy-cares.org.
Indianapolis EMS was formed in 2010 as a partnership between the City of Indianapolis, IU School of Medicine and Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County, with Wishard as the supervising hospital. Indianapolis EMS operates as a division of the Department of Public Safety and was formed via unification of Wishard and Indianapolis Fire Department EMS services. The service benefits from medical leadership in quality, education, training and research from the IU School of Medicine.
To learn more, visit Indianapolisems.org.
