What is an AED Program?
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are no longer being left in the hands of medical professionals. More and more lives are being saved by lay responders, people who have minimal training and quick access to an AED. And because the chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) fall by seven to ten percent with each passing minute, the presence of an AED and trained volunteer responders can significantly reduce potential loss of time when someone needs defibrillation.
Numerous studies have demonstrated clinical benefit of AEDs in public areas and a growing number of lives have been saved by these important devices; indeed, their increasingly widespread distribution in public places has been an important development resulting in improved survival for persons with cardiac arrest.
AEDs are easy to use but are complex devices that require ongoing management. The Maisel study determined that efforts should be directed at developing a reliable system to locate and repair potentially defective devices in a timely fashion.1 Along with training potential volunteers, a well-designed system for testing and maintaining your devices is an essential part of deploying AEDs in your business.