Each year an estimated 325,000 people in the U.S. die from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The Heart Rhythm Society estimates that about 7,000 of these deaths are children and infants. In 1997, Christine Puricelli of Chandler, Arizona, lost her 22-year-old daughter Emilie to SCA caused by a genetic condition called Long QT Syndrome. The warning signs of Long QT Syndrome were there, but doctors didn’t recognize them. Here’s Emilie’s story in Christine’s words:

On August 30th, 1997, my seemingly healthy 22 -year-old daughter, Emilie, died suddenly in her sleep from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

Emilie Puricelli died of sudden cardiac arrest at age 22.

How could a beautiful, healthy young woman just go to bed and die in such a mysterious manner? It’s an understatement to say we were in shock, or grief-stricken. Losing a child was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced.

An autopsy showed only “Acute Cardiac Arrhythmia.” Emilie’s toxicology report was totally negative and the Medical Examiner offered our family no other information about the cause of death.

We had only a few clues. On Emilie’s second day of life she had been observed having a “seizure,” and a nurse told us she appeared somewhat “blue.” She was treated with no further problems or explanation.

Starting in grade school, Emilie “fainted” 3 or 4 times. Around 9th grade, she began describing her heart as feeling like it was “going crazy” during intense basketball workouts. She also had no tolerance for caffeine. Again, she felt it made her heart beat irregularly.

Emilie saw cardiologists. Her tests were interpreted as normal. The cardiologist’s explanation was that she was tall and thin, and that she was just feeling irregular heartbeats that we all have at times (but which are not clinically significant and which we may not feel).

Unfortunately, we accepted this diagnosis. We now know that she should have seen a pediatric cardiologist, even in 9th grade.

After Emilie’s death, we pursued an explanation with cardiac researchers and finally learned that the QT Interval on her ECG was “prolonged.” The QT Interval is the time needed for the heart to re-polarize (or recharge) between beats. A Long QT Interval may cause the heart to fibrillate (or quiver) and not pump blood effectively.

We also learned that genetic testing was available. Our immediate family was tested for Long QT Syndrome. We learned that my husband and I both have a gene for an electrical conduction defect in the heart that is associated with Long QT Syndrome. My two living children, now ages 33 and 31, also tested positive for this gene.

Background on Long QT Syndrome

We have since learned that Congenital Long QT Syndrome is a very treatable cardiac condition. Depending on the severity and the type of Long QT Syndrome, there are treatment options:

• Beta blocker drugs
• Implanting an ICD (implantable cardiac defibrillator) as needed

When a family knows they have Congenital Long QT Syndrome, very simple measures can help keep the person with the gene and symptoms at lower risk:

• Avoid drugs known to prolong the QT Interval (this list can be found at www.qtdrugs.org)
• At the dentist, ask for a local anesthesia with fewer cardiac effects.
• Avoid situations that would deliberately stimulate an adrenalin surge, such as intense physical and competitive sports, scary rides at theme parks, haunted houses, alarm clocks, and so forth. Exercise should follow specific guidelines from the cardiologist or electrophysiologist.

What to do when sudden cardiac arrest occurs

Sudden cardiac arrest in youth is not a rare occurrence. SCA is the leading cause of death on school property, affecting not only children, but also teachers, administrators, parents and visitors. SCA happens to thousands of kids each year — on the football field, on the soccer field, in the classroom, and in their sleep.

Communities can be prepared by having AEDs (automated external defibrillators) available where youth congregate and by encouraging AED and CPR training. Facilities with AEDs should have emergency plans in place for what to do if someone suffers sudden cardiac arrest. There is a short critical window of time in which an SCA victim can be saved; chances of survival decrease by about 10 percent with every minute that passes.

Know the chain of survival:

• Recognition of the signs of sudden cardiac arrest — the person may be collapsed and unresponsive, be gasping or gurgling, or showing seizure-like activity
• Immediate call to 911
• CPR
• Use of an AED as soon as possible
• Early Advanced Care from first responders

How parents can take action

As a parent who has lost a child to SCA, I am now a member of Parent Heart Watch, the national voice solely dedicated to protecting young from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).  I urge you to learn more at by visiting their website.

For additional information of other congenital heart conditions in children and young adults that can cause SCA, the symptoms they may cause, and recommended treatments, please visit www.sads.org.

It is our responsibility as a community to shed light on SCA in youth and save lives. Keep in mind that the life you save could be your very own child’s, or that of someone else you know and love.

Powerheart AED G3 is used in a simulated AED rescue in Prague. (Photo: ZZS hl. města Prahy)

The city of Prague in the Czech Republic has purchased 70 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to make it possible to rescue people stricken with sudden cardiac arrest. As part of this program, the Special Forces of the City have placed Powerheart AED G3s in Smart cars.  These Smart cars respond rapidly to emergencies throughout the city, traveling even on the famously narrow streets of the Old Town.

The AEDs are deployed with the city’s rescue services, police department and fire department.

Cardiac Science is involved in AED placement throughout Europe, including the rollout of the first public access defibrillation (PAD) program in the region.

Related Products

• Powerheart AED G3 Plus
• Powerheart AED G3 Fully Automatic and Semi-automatic
• Powerheart AED G3 Pro
• Powerheart AED G3 Trainer
• AED Program Management

What are Guidelines 2010?

Today the American Heart Association (AHA) and European Resuscitation Council (ERC) released their 2010 Guidelines for resuscitation. These guidelines are updated once every five years, and reflect the latest scientific research on CPR and ECC (Emergency Cardiac Care). As the Guidelines may impact how an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) guides a responder, Cardiac Science is committed to providing you with the latest information regarding any potential changes.

You can download a summary or a detailed version of the Guidelines from these links:

• 2010 AHA Guidelines
  
• 2010 ERC Guidelines

Click to watch a helpful summary from the American Heart Association:

How are these new Guidelines established?

The American Heart Association (AHA), European Resuscitation Council (ERC), and six other international resuscitation organizations participated in the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR).

ILCOR conducted a systematic review of the scientific evidence for emergency cardiac care. Through this process, ILCOR reviewed more than 250 studies and published specific resuscitation recommendations. The AHA and ERC may adopt these recommendations as guidelines, which may affect how responders are trained in CPR and AED use.

What are some of the topics that these Guidelines address?

ILCOR reviewed scientific research pertaining to the major areas of resuscitation. These include:

• Basic Life Support
• Advanced Life Support
• Pediatric Life Support
• Defibrillation

What does this mean for you?

The new Guidelines can impact how anyone involved in a resuscitation or life-supporting procedure perform in these critical situations. They can also affect manufacturers like Cardiac Science, who may have to make changes to how their devices perform in these situations.

Training – the AHA and ERC will provide training in the new Guidelines as soon as November 13th. However, it will take a number of months for these organizations to update their training materials. It will be important to update your training in order to understand the latest protocols for CPR and ECC.

AED Equipment – Cardiac Science has been actively monitoring the research and evaluating the potential impact to our products for many months. Once the new Guidelines are announced, we will assess the changes and create a plan for each product to address any changes. It may take manufacturers some time to integrate these changes into their products, and some older product platforms may not support the new Guidelines. We are committed to informing our customers what the changes will be and how our products will address any changes as soon as possible.

Key dates to monitor:

• November 13, 2010 – Official 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC Instructors Conference (Chicago, IL)
• December 2, 2010 – European Resuscitation Congress (Porto, Portugal)
• December 8, 2010 – Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update Conference (San Diego CA)

Register now for emailed updates

Cardiac Science is committed to informing our customers what the changes may be and how our products will address any changes as soon as possible. We appreciate your support as we get prepared for these exciting developments.

Heartsafe news: Our weekly update on what’s happening in the world of heart safety and noninvasive cardiology

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation honors heart-health leaders

Last weekend the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation honored groups and individuals known for their work in raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, preventing sudden cardiac death, and improving cardiovascular health. As a founding corporate member of the Foundation, we want to congratulate these 2009 honorees:

• The Fire Department of the City of New York. “NYC Project Hypothermia” improves the chances of recovery from sudden cardiac arrest by making available therapeutic cooling. The therapy allows a safe and gradual return of organ function after SCA. More than 40 hospitals involved in the project now have state-of-the-art therapeutic hypothermia capabilities. In 2010, the program will put therapeutic hypothermia devices into ambulances.

• Gov. Patrick Quinn of Illinois. As lieutenant governor, and now as governor, he worked with the state legislature on the bills requiring AEDs in schools, fitness centers, and in park facilities. Gov. Quinn was also involved in creating the state’s Heartsaver AED Fund to providing matching funds for AED purchases.

• San Diego Project Heart Beat. This public access to defibrillation (PAD) program of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and Rural/Metrol Ambulance has deployed more than 4,000 AEDs, saved more than 50 lives, and trained more than 10,000 people in CPR and AED use. Cardiac Science is proud to be the Official AED Partner for Project Heartbeat.

• Dr. Joseph Ornato, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Dr. Ornate was recognized for his work in raising awareness about SCA and cardiovascular disease. His current activities include chairing the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC).

Off-duty deputy with AED in cruiser saves Florida pastor

The Rev. Gregory Ball and his wife, Bobbie Ball, were jogging near their home in Naples, Florida, when Ball collapsed on the roadside, a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. NaplesNews.com describes the police AED rescue that took place.

Bobbie Ball ran to get help from neighbors, reaching the home of Cpl. Jim Streeter, a deputy with the Collier County Sheriff’s Department. Streeter told her to call 911; meanwhile, he jumped in the cruiser and drove down the road to where Ball — the minister of his church — lay. Streeter attached the AED pads and the AED administered a shock. Streeter began CPR, and by the time paramedics arrived, the pastor was already breathing on his own. Ball was transported to the local hospital where he is recovering.

The Collier County Sheriff’s department has equipped all of its patrol cars with AEDs, through a partnership with the American Heart Assocation. Streeter told  NaplesNews.com that the pastor is the second sudden cardiac arrest victim he’s revived using the device.

In Massachusetts county, 12-lead EKGs help ambulance teams save lives

Adams County, Massachusetts, decided last year to put 12-lead EKGs in all their ambulances. The investment is paying off, according to a report in the Quincy Herald-Whig.

While assisting a heart attack patient, the ambulance crew used the new cardiac monitor to obtain diagnostic information. The monitor revealed an unusual condition — the patient had an abnormally low pH level. As a result of that information, the crew was able to administer the right medication.

The new 12-lead EKGs also allow the ambulances to send test results ahead to the hospital where a patient will be received, saving time and improving communications during emergency situations.

School sports AEDs: Trainer with defibrillator saves teen athlete

Last week a North Texas community celebrated the rescue of a 15-year-old baseball player. In September, Louis Rubio and teammates from Trimble Technical High School were out on a training run. Suddenly, Rubio collapsed. Coaches discovered he was without a pulse.

While the coaches called 911 and started CPR, the team trainer opened the automated external defibrillator he had brought along. He used the AED to deliver a shock that restarted Rubio’s normal heartbeat.

Rubio was subsequently diagnosed with a heart condition. Here’s his story in this video clip from WFAA.com.

Related Products

• Powerheart AED G3 Plus
• Powerheart AED G3 Fully Automatic and Semi-automatic
• Powerheart AED G3 Pro
• Powerheart AED G3 Trainer
• AED Program Management

CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on a referee who falls “dead” on a football field but lives to tell about it. Consult your local TV listings to watch the entire “Cheating Death” broadcast on CNN.  “Cheating Death,” Sat. & Sun. 8 p.m. ET

Transcript:
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “It was right here, September 14, 2002, about a minute into the third quarter, and Bob Schriever, the referee, was suddenly down. The fans, the players, the television audience, were about to be in for a shocking site.”

TV announcer: “Oh my goodness! A referee has just collapsed on the field!

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “For 65-year-old Bob Schriever that video is sometimes still difficult to watch. [To Mr. Schriever] And you’re suddenly down…”

Bob Schriever: “I’m down. I’m dead. Yeah.”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “What did you experience? Did you have pain?”

Bob Schriever: “No. Nothing.”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “Schriever was in cardiac arrest on this very field during a high school football game. A team trainer armed with the school’s brand new AED, or automated external defibrillator, shocked him back to life.”

Bob Schriever: “That’s scary.”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “Schriever was choking up as he showed me the video that day. And then he started to talk about what he remembered. [To Mr. Schriever] What were you experiencing when everyone was seeing this (points to screen)?

Bob Schriever: “It’s, it’s, um, very peaceful…it’s very serene…and it’s extremely, extremely bright. I mean, it is bright! And, I was, I saw a place that, uh, I was supposed to go, I saw that halo, and something was saying, I go towards that halo. ”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “He says he was dead for two minutes and forty seconds. (Back on field) So this is, ah, the first time Bob’s been back here, he, ah, just visited the place he had his sudden cardiac arrest for the first time since it happened. He’s gonna toss the coin, something he hasn’t done in a while.”

Bob Schriever: “What are you calling? You guys called ‘tails.’ It’s a ‘heads.’ (To the other team) You won the toss. Your choice.”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “But what happened on this field still haunts him. (To Mr. Schriever) How often do you think about it?”

Bob Schriever: “I think about that every morning when I wake up, first thing, during the day I don’t know how many times, every night before I fall asleep.”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: (Holding a Powerheart AED from Cardiac Science) “You know, I think a lot of people have probably heard about automated external defibrillators, AEDs, or those little ‘shock things,’ John and Karen.

Watch "Cheating Death" featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN

Now, but, they’re everywhere, they’re in your building, for example, on every floor, and they are so simple to use.

You literally open up the box like this and it immediately starts having instructions – voice instructions – as to what exactly to do, starting off with calling 911 first, exactly where to place the pads….

The pads actually measure the heart rhythm. And if it needs a shock, if the hearts needs a shock it goes ahead and delivers it.

They are very easy to use and, obviously, in the case of Bob Schriever, this thing clearly saved his life. He was down, he was in cardiac arrest, his heart wasn’t working, and a defibrillator brought him back.

It’s happening all over the country and all over the world and hopefully a lot of you out there watching will educate yourselves as well. John and Karen, back to you.

Healthcare reform legislation emerged from the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning. The 14-9 vote on The America’s Healthy Future Act included a “yea” from Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, the first Republican in Congress to support a healthcare reform bill. Snowe stated that her vote was specific to the bill as it is currently written, and did not mean she would support future versions of the bill.

Among the many aspects of the bill under debate as it moves forward is a proposed tax on medical device manufacturers. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry said during the Finance Committee debate that that the bill places too great a burden on those companies.

As an article on ModernHealthcare.com describes, the current legislation includes a devicemaker tax designed to collect $40 billion over ten years from medical device companies. The tax would be assessed based on a company’s U.S. sales.

In a letter sent to the Senate Finance Committee, Kerry, along with senators Evan Bayh (Indiana) and Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) expressed concerns that the tax provision could threaten jobs, reduce investment in research, and “ultimately diminish access to life-saving medical devices.”

An article on the proposed medical device tax in the Silicon Valley Business Journal describes how the tax might work, and covers industry reaction to the proposal.

The Capital Area Regional Health Information Organization in Michigan is developing a secure electronic network that will eventually allow healthcare providers throughout the state to exchange electronic medical records. A smaller version of this health information exchange system, serving providers in the mid-state area, is scheduled to go live in January, 2010.

Currently the only state with a statewide electronic health records system is Maine, which debuted the system this summer. HealthInfoNet connects 15 hospitals, three health clinics, and Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new Michigan system is expected to improve the quality of care for patients, plus allow Michigan providers and healthcare institutions to meet anticipated federal government requirements for connectivity and data reporting. It also takes into account the need to safeguard the privacy of patient data.

“Health care is one of the last industries to upgrade electronically, and Michigan is helping lead the nationwide effort,” said Janet Olszewski, director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “The ability to exchange information – allowing a cardiologist, for example, to access a patient’s test results from various providers – will be required for physicians and hospitals seeking federal economic stimulus funds for electronic health records.”

The Regional Health Information Organization was developed by the Capital Area Health Alliance, with grants totaling more than $2.2 million from the state of Michigan, Michigan State University, Ingham Regional Medical Center, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Sparrow Health System, along with in-kind contributions from more than 40 community agencies and physicians. It is an independent, nonprofit organization.

Heartsafe news: Our weekly update on what’s happening in the world of heart safety and noninvasive cardiology

Cardiac arrest in Canada: a “silent killer”

Why is the survival rate for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest 16.3 percent in Seattle but only 9.7 percent in Vancouver, B.C., and 5.5 percent in Toronto? In an article in their Oct. 8 issue, Maclean’s magazine decries the “host of deficiencies” in Canada’s approach to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

“How can the nation’s number one cause of death — a disease that affects 35,000 to 45,000 Canadians each year—be a silent killer?” the article asks.

“What is surprising,” the article goes on, “is many of the failures come in to play not in the ambulance or the ER—but on the street, before paramedics even arrive.”

Problems include:

• Lack of community commitment CPR and to CPR training. According to Maclean’s, Canada turns out to have one of the lowest bystander responder rates in the Western world — a mere 15 percent. (The Edmonton region is an exception, where bystanders will administer CPR in 46 percent of instances of sudden cardiac arrest.)

• Problems with automated external defibrillator (AED) deployment and AED training. Canadian cities often don’t have a public access to defibrillation (PAD) program in place to register AEDs. As a result, 911 dispatchers aren’t able to tell callers where the nearest AED is located.

The article includes an extensive analysis of issues, from research on CPR protocols to national guidelines for training citizens to respond to sudden cardiac arrest.

Chicago Metra trains: Considering AEDs in wake of passenger death

A 63-year-old man suffered sudden cardiac arrest and died last week while riding an early morning Metra commuter train in Chicago.

A conductor made an announcement asking for help from any medical personnel on the train, and emergency responders met the train at the next station. Crew and passengers attempted CPR before the train arrived at the station, according to news reports, but no AED was available on the train.

Metra officials told news media that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are available at Metra’s downtown stations and that Metra is evaluating whether or not to place AEDs on trains.

In contrast, Amtrak has a ground-breaking AED deployment in terms of size, scope, and complexity. Excepting airline deployments, this was (and remains) the most ambitious AED program in the transportation industry. Nearly 700 Cardiac Science AEDs in train stations, security vehicles, maintenance facilities, and passenger trains cover the vast Amtrak network. Virtually every Amtrak employee (nearly 7,000 of them) have been trained on AED/CPR through our AED Program Management services.

Separately, a study of the Munich subway system found AEDs “highly effective and safe for the acute treatment of patients with cardiac arrest.”

West Midlands, UK: AED signage points the way to community AEDs

West Midlands AED signage

In the West Midlands, Cardiac Science working with West Midlands Ambulance Service on a signage project to make sure that people can find community automated external defibrillators.

According to a Halesowen News report, there are more than 1900 defibrillators in the West Midlands, but community safety officials discovered that many citizens didn’t know where to find one in an emergency. Now, each AED location will have a sign that includes a unique identification number. The number will enable safety officials to keep track of AEDs, and allow emergency dispatchers to direct callers to the nearest AED.

Cardiac Science and Lichfield District Safer Community Partnership are sponsoring printing of the signage.

Hearts at Play serious about AEDs

In Mansfield, Massachusetts, the local organization Hearts at Play has raised nearly $100,ooo for heart research and health. The Norton Mirror reports that, in addition to funding heart research at Children’s Hospital in Boston, the organization has donated automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for Mansfield Youth Soccer, Mansfield Youth Baseball, Mass Premier Courts, Pop Warner Football, Flag Football, and the Mansfield school office — plus helped out with replacement supplies and batteries for AEDs already in the community schools.

Hearts at Play was founded by Ellie Lea of Mansfield, whose two children have congenital heart defects.

Heart safe news: Our weekly update on what’s happening in the world of heart safety and noninvasive cardiology

HEARTSafe in Connecticut: AEDs and more

The Connecticut Department of Public Health recognized the city of Darien last week for becoming a HeartSafe Community.

“The HEARTSafe Communities program is designed to promote and recognize the efforts of local municipalities to provide improved cardiac response and care to its residents,” said the Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin. “Darien has demonstrated its commitment toward ensuring that its residents and visitors receive the early lifesaving response proven to increase the chances of survival for heart attack victims.”

Galvin’s remarks were reported in the DarienTimes.com.

The HEARTSafe Program, a collaboration with the American Heart Association, encourages communities to create what the AHA calls the “Chain of Survival”: early access to emergency care, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced care. The community needs to support CPR training, public access defibrillation (PAD) programs, and early advanced care. More information on Connecticut’s HEARTSafe Program is available from the Department of Public Health website – and you can always reach our Connecticut AED Expert Doug Comstock for more info (read about Doug Comstock here).

Fire department challenges businesses to get AEDs

In Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the fire department has challenged 2500 area businesses to create a heart safe network for citizens. An article on WCCO.com describes Assistant Fire Chief Steve Koering’s campaign to put automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in businesses.

“The likelihood of that person being saved is exponentially greater than in areas where they have no AEDs and CPR is your only hope,” Koering told WCCO’s reporter. “If you know that you can improve the likelihood of success of that person living, surviving that event, it seems to be logical, why wouldn’t you invest in the technology?”

Last week Koering led the Eden Prairie City Council in recognizing the staff of a local fitness center that used their AED to rescue a woman who collapsed at the gym. The fitness center manager used one of three AEDs on the premises, which administered a shock three times before the victim’s heartbeat returned.

Contact AED Expert Matt Lese for more Minnesota AED information.

Defibrillators for schools: Loveland, CO

Five Loveland, Colorado, high schools have received automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and training for staff to use the defibrillators. An article on the ReporterHerald.com Web site describes the school AED funding provided by area organizations including the McKee Medical Center Foundation, Big Thompson Emergency Physicians, Kick Start My Heart Foundation, and the Daniel J. Lunger Memorial Fund.

The Daniel J. Lunger Memorial Fund was established in memory of Daniel J. Lunger, a Colorado teenager who died of cardiac arrhythmia in 2006; the fund’s goal is to place AEDs in schools throughout Colorado.

You can download a helpful brochure about AEDs in Schools here.

AEDs for public safety vehicles: Grain Valley, MO

Police cars in Grain Valley, Missouri, are getting automated external defibrillators, thanks to a donation from Centerpoint Medical Center. The donation was spurred by the efforts of a local woman, Carla Borland, whose daughter suffered a cardiac emergency at home. Police arrived, but had no AEDs, and precious minutes passed while they waited for the town ambulance to arrive with a defibrillator. Borland’s daughter recovered, and Borland began her efforts to secure AED funding.

Click here for more information on AEDs for police and contact Cardiac Science rep Scott Barnes in Missouri.

AED used to save truck driver at transfer station

When John Morse suffered sudden cardiac arrest, he was driving a dump truck through a transfer station. He collapsed at the wheel, the truck smashed through a concrete barrier and hit another vehicle.

Fortunately, the transfer station had an automated external defibrillator, which staff and others at the transfer station immediately put to use. An article in the Mail Tribute early this month describes the AED rescue. Matt Weiss, who was at the transfer station dumping a load of yard waste, got involved.

“In that situation you think there has to be someone better trained than you to handle things,” Weiss told the Mail Tribune. “But it occurred to me that maybe I was ready to do this.”

A shock from the defibrillator restored Morse’s heartbeat. Weiss and station employee Mike Messenger did CPR for more than three minutes until an ambulance arrived and transferred Morse to the hospital. He was able to return home a few days later, and is recovering.

Coalition wants information technology funding in healthcare legislation

The non-profit coalition called Health IT Now! is lobbying Congress to include IT funding in upcoming healthcare reform bills.

Because information technology improves care and reduces medical errors, it should be part of healthcare form, the group’s executive director, Joel White, announced last week. Read more about White’s efforts to shape health information technology legislation in Healthcare IT News.

Related Products

• Powerheart AED G3 Plus
• Powerheart AED G3 Fully Automatic and Semi-automatic
• Powerheart AED G3 Pro
• Powerheart AED G3 Trainer
• AED Program Management