Health

8 HE ALTH • Spring 2022 CPR legislation in Massachusetts seeks to improve cardiac arrest survival rates F our minutes can go by in an instant, but for someone going into sudden cardiac arrest, this is all the time they have in order to have the highest probability of surviving. Every minute a cardiac arrest patient goes without receiving CPR their likeli- hood of survival drops by 10%. At a dire moment, when every second counts, one might assume calling 911 would immediately get you in touch with someone who could articulate how to administer CPR, which is short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, in Massachusetts this is not always the case. "I asked for the data on what our sur- vival rate was and when they handed me the data, I almost fell out of my chair, it was so bad. It was the 911 tele- communicators, who told me what the problem was," said Dr. Joseph Sabato, the 911 medical director at Worcester's UMass Memorial Medical Center's emergency department, who worked at hospital systems in Florida and New Hampshire before joining UMass. According to Sabato's testimony in front of the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Health, UMass received 114 out-of-hospital car- diac arrests with only three survivors being discharged from the hospital, a 3% survival rate. When Sabato talked to his counterparts at other Massachusetts hospitals, their data also ref lected dis- mal survival rates, he said. The 3% sur- vival rate shows a deep disconnect when compared to the national average of 8% to 10%. The low survival rate of cardiac arrest is further complicated by the fact 911 phone calls on cell phones are sent to the Massachusetts State Police dispatch before they are routed to an ambulance service to provide actual medical advice. Not only are valuable minutes lost in between the transfer of calls, but these dispatchers may not have the medical training to provide over the phone instructions to conduct hands- only bystander CPR, which ultimately gives cardiac arrest patients a fighting chance at life until trained first responders arrive. The Massachusetts legislature is con- sidering a new bill backed by the American Heart Association and spon- sored by State Sen. Michael Moore (D-Millbury) of Second Worcester to mandate every emergency telecommu- nicator be trained to provide hands-on bystander CPR instruction during an emergency cardiac arrest event. In addition to telecommunicator CPR directions, the legislation will provide public access to defibrillators in a timely manner and make Sudden Cardiac Arrest a reportable disease in Massachusetts. Medical hub experiences below average survival rates Since he learned of the poor survival rates in Massachsuetts, Sabato has been committed to saving an estimated 500 lives per year by providing dispatchers with the tools and training that they need in order to quickly relay bystander CPR. Sabato said Seattle's sudden cardiac survival rates are 40%, due to a city wide campaign promoting bystander CPR and heavily encouraging the public to learn the locations of defibrillators and how to use them. Additionally, sig- nage and greater numbers of defibrilla- tors throughout businesses and stores makes them much more accessible dur- ing emergency situations. Sabato hopes to emulate that model and type of pub- lic awareness in Central Massachusetts and throughout the state. "I actually pointed out to [Worcester] Mayor [Joseph] Petty that the city with When every second counts • By Sloane M. Perron Dr. Joe Sabato is committed to saving 500 lives per year through bystander CPR education and awareness. PHOTO | COURTESY OF DR. JOSEPH SABATO

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