New App Helps Bring Patients Back to

Life After Heart Stops

by Rob Chakler | Feb 13, 2017 | Articles, Cardiology, humira-tablet, Hypertension,Medical
Technology, News Brief, Tablet | 0 comments

A newly released app called the Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Mobile Application has helped save
the lives of numerous patients whose hearts had stopped in a condition known as cardiac arrest.
A new study from Bridgeport Hospital inBridgeport, CT shows impressive results in improving the
survivability of cardiac arrests using a comprehensive educational program and the app from a
company called ACLS Solutions, LLC. The app helps practitioners direct the code blue team
through the resuscitation. The results were presented by Gloria Bindelglass, RN BSN, the
companys CEO and founder at the Joseph A. Zacanino conference at Yale New Haven Health
System.
The educational program included a redefining of roles for the participants on the code team,
practice with mock code simulations, expanded documentation, and retrospective review of
performance on all resuscitations with team members to promote continuous practice
improvement. The centerpiece of the program is the Carmaforlife app which all team members
use at all codes. Research has shown that strict adherence to protocols for Advanced Cardiac Life
support, which are established by the American Heart Association and updated regularly, produce
optimal results from cardiac resuscitations.

The app includes a series of timers which prompt the members of the code blue team to perform
the correct steps at exactly the appropriate times. It includes a metronome for perfect pacing of
chest compressions. The protocols for different types of cardiac arrests are listed in detail and
interact with the timers to direct practitioners. The app helps the leader with suggestions for
possible causes of the arrest which can be ruled out in order of probability and helps determine
why the arrest has happened, leading to not just survival but an understanding of the originating
cause which can be corrected. This helps get patients not just through the cardiac arrest, but on
the road to cure and returning home. Finally as the code progresses, the app documents
everything which is being done in real time replacing the inefficient and inaccurate manual
process. The improved documentation adds accuracy to the medical record, and allows for
detailed review of the performance of the team which can be used for process improvement.
Using the Carmaforlife app, survival of a cardiac arrest improved by 37%, from 57% to 78%. The
number of patients who actually went home after having a cardiac arrest improved 64%, from
22% to 36%. By comparison, the national average for surviving an arrest is 56.7 percent. The
average chance of surviving a cardiac arrest and living to be discharged home at an average
American hospital is 18%, half the chance of going home from Bridgeport Hospital if one suffers a
cardiac arrest. In addition to saving lives and returning this sickest group of patients to a normal
life, Bridgeport hospital was recognized by the American Heart Associations Get with the
Guidelines program with a gold medal for performance and documentation.