Mr Alan Morrison1, Ms Jessica Arnold1
1NSW Ambulance, Sydney, Australia
Biography:
Alan Morrison is an Intensive Care Paramedic, Associate Director Professional Engagement & Partnerships and strategic lead for the NSWA GoodSAM program.
Abstract:
Introduction
Early CPR is crucial for survival in patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). NSWA partnered with GoodSAM to integrate smartphone technology into the emergency response system. The initiative harnesses community involvement through crowdsourcing technology, encouraging bystander CPR and AED application.
Method
Program implementation was evaluated at 12 months and considered impact of responders on patient outcomes, efficacy of promotional activities on responder registration, responder reaction to receiving notifications, role of responder wellbeing follow up program and the establishment of the AED registry.
Data to facilitate the review included cases meeting GoodSAM criteria over the 12-month period from November 23, 2023, to November 22, 2024, data collection from routine follow-up calls, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) data, eMR data and extracts from GoodSAM.
Results
Over the 12 month period 8,372 responders had registered, and 1,745 responders had arrived on scene, with CPR initiated on 421 patients. The review identified variation in the impact of promotional activities on responder registration, notification safety features were generally effective in preventing inappropriate notifications, a responder acceptance rate of 23.5%, NSWA follow up post notification was highly valued by responders and 40 patients who received CPR from a responder were discharged from hospital.
Conclusion
The first 12 months of the NSWA GoodSAM program have shown promising results in enhancing the community response to OHCA. Moving forward, a focus on optimising promotional activities, responder engagement, patient outcome tracking, and the AED registry will be essential for building on the momentum gained during this first year.