Innovations in AED Delivery: The 4 Minute City Model

Summary: Imagine a world in which all SCA victims receive defibrillation within four minutes of arrest. Novel AED technologies, coupled with a community volunteer program and an academic research center, is discussed in this innovative presentation.

Synopsis: While automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) represent a cornerstone of community cardiac arrest response, effective public access defibrillation programs have been limited by the inability to adequately provide AED location information, link rescuers and AEDs, and link AEDs with 911 dispatch centers. A newly FDA approved AED is outfitted with GPS, cell service and wifi connectivity, and may allow for programs to be developed to overcome these barriers. The University of Pennsylvania Center for Resuscitation Science, the Peyton Walker Foundation, Cumberland County EMS agencies in Pennsylvania and the AED manufacturer Avive have developed an innovative partnership to build and study a cutting-edge community AED program. It aspires to provide defibrillation to victims in need within 4 minutes - envisioning a "4-minute city" model, where potential rescuers are connected to AEDs and the 911 dispatch centers via mobile phone apps. AEDs can display maps to reach victims and data can be seamlessly transmitted to hospitals for further care.

In this presentation, three speakers representing the project share the current science of AED deployment, the major challenges worldwide that have limited the effectiveness of AED programs, and the aims of the 4 Minute City project. Preliminary mapping data on cardiac arrests is shared and discussed, the novel CARE team volunteer model is explained, and the project goals and timelines are elaborated. We look forward to robust discussion of the future of AED deployment and the study of new community models through clinical research.