Heart Rescue Project

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Community SCA Response Planning Guide

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HeartRescue Partner - North Carolina

North Carolina

In North Carolina, the RACE CARS program (Regional Approach to Cardiovascular Emergencies Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation System) makes up the largest statewide system of emergency cardiovascular care, coordinating 122 hospitals and 540 EMS agencies to rapidly diagnose and provide emergency treatment for heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest. Part of this strategy includes community education and reducing disparities in SCA treatment.

Website

RACE CARS

Key Strengths

  • North Carolina has the largest statewide system of emergency cardiovascular care, coordinating hospitals and EMS agencies across the state to rapidly diagnose and provide emergency treatment for heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest.
  • Important components of the strategy include community education initiatives and statewide partnerships with youth and school organizations.
  • The organization is working to reduce disparities in SCA treatment based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic location and gender.

Key Results to Date

  • 2283 survivors with good neurological outcomes
  • 88.5% of North Carolina’s population covered by the CARES registry
  • 25,000 cases including a baseline data set for 2010
  • Overall survival: 51% of our EMS agencies improved
  • Pre RACE Post RACE: Overall survival improved by 66%
  • Decrease times to CPR by 22% and Defib by 13%
  • Trained 600 telecommunicators in 27 counties on early recognition and CO CPR instruction
  • Launched a Public Service Announcement in movie theaters that had 6,214,860 impressions
      – Saw a 9% increase in bystander CPR rates in these communities
  • Published in JAMA: The Association of Rates of Bystander and First-responder Intervention with Survival after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in North Carolina, 2010-2013 showing a favorable neurologic outcome increased by ~37%
  • Offered 13 Resuscitation Academies since 2013, training 1,000 healthcare providers
  • Utilized the CARES registry data to study the difference between agencies using the High Performance CPR (HPCPR) approach versus those who do not; shows significant improvement wit those who adopted the approach

Contact

Lisa Monk, RACE CARS Director

Websites:
• www.nccacc.org
• www.wakegov.com/ems
• www.ncems.org

The Team

James G. Jollis, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Professor of Medicine and Radiology
Duke University

 

 

Lisa Monk MSN, RN, CPHQ
RACE CARS State Project Leader

 

 

 

Clark Tyson MS, NREMT-P
RACE CARS CARES Coordinator