Eisenberg, Mickey S.
ISBN 978-0-295-9889-4
Published by University of Washington Press in 2009
Published by University of Washington Press in 2009
In Short: "How Your Community Can Improve Survival from Sudden Cardiac Arrest" and how your EMS system can use sudden cardiac arrest survival performance as a metric for quality improvement.
Should victims of sudden cardiac arrest expect reasonably similar chances of survival (mentally intact discharge from the hospital) regardless of where they arrest? Does an EMS system's performance measured in terms of treatment of sudden cardiac arrest provide a means of measuring overall system efficacy?
Dr. Eisenberg knows a thing or two about survival following suddent cardiac arrest and the findings from his practice as medical director in King County and Seattle and his research nationwide is startling. Furthermore, he lays the story down in a very readable (and guided) fashion that fits equally well in the hands of doctors, EMT's, dispatchers, public safety administrators and politicians.
Survival from witnessed V-fib arrests in King County, Seattle and Rochester, MN approach 50% whereas the national average is somewhere near 10% (with some areas below 1%). Why the disparity? Many factors are involved and they don't all involve EMS in the field. Rethinking the scope of EMS (e.g. to more closely integrate dispatch, medical control, patients, bystanders and preventative care) is a start. Redefining "success" is a another. Both would be well served by a foundation of data collection and review.
Still not conviced you should read this book? Check out the podcast with the author.
Should victims of sudden cardiac arrest expect reasonably similar chances of survival (mentally intact discharge from the hospital) regardless of where they arrest? Does an EMS system's performance measured in terms of treatment of sudden cardiac arrest provide a means of measuring overall system efficacy?
Dr. Eisenberg knows a thing or two about survival following suddent cardiac arrest and the findings from his practice as medical director in King County and Seattle and his research nationwide is startling. Furthermore, he lays the story down in a very readable (and guided) fashion that fits equally well in the hands of doctors, EMT's, dispatchers, public safety administrators and politicians.
Survival from witnessed V-fib arrests in King County, Seattle and Rochester, MN approach 50% whereas the national average is somewhere near 10% (with some areas below 1%). Why the disparity? Many factors are involved and they don't all involve EMS in the field. Rethinking the scope of EMS (e.g. to more closely integrate dispatch, medical control, patients, bystanders and preventative care) is a start. Redefining "success" is a another. Both would be well served by a foundation of data collection and review.
Still not conviced you should read this book? Check out the podcast with the author.
