Lethbridge EMS showcase new medical technologies

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on July 29, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber Lethbridge EMS crews demonstrate the new Autopulse CPR system, part of the new Cardiac Survivability Program, Thursday at the downtown Fire Station No. 1.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

A new piece of equipment and groundbreaking technology are giving Lethbridge EMS crews a better chance to save lives.

A piece of automated CPR equipment called the Zoll Autopulse and an app-based system to help paediatric patients, are now being used by Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services crews.

Mike Humphrey, a Lethbridge EMS Operations officer, said the AutoPulse device, which in weeks will be in every city fire station, takes the human element out of CPR.

“We’re able to perform continuous compressions with no pauses and it gives perfect compressions and perfect CPR every time,” said Humphrey Thursday.

It’s brought to any patient who suffers cardiac arrest within city limits and since it’s been implemented, EMS has “seen very exciting results and we’re really seeing an increase in chance of survival of an individual in Lethbridge experiencing cardiac arrest,” said Humphrey.

The system “really empowers our members,” said Humphrey.

Once the machine is operating, crews can focus on whether there are any reversible causes that can be identified. They can also focus on providing care to family.

The Autopulse has been in use for about four months and while it’s not a new technology, Lethbridge EMS is among the first in this part of Canada to have it, said Humphrey.

Currently there is only one system in the city.

It will become part of the standard cardiac response but “right now, it’s a specialty request so that we are getting the Autopulse to everybody that does need it but because we only have one there is a little bit of a delay in getting this to everybody in the city,” he said of the system which takes three people to operate.

Another advantage over traditional CPR is a patient can be moved with the machine operating. This means CPR can be delivered continuously with no interruption.

The other piece of the new technology is the HandTevy Pediatric Resuscitation mobile system, which was addressed by Adam Perrett, Medical Training Officer with Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services.

The system is something brought in to help EMS be as successful as they can when dealing with situations.

Customized dosing and equipment info is accessed by mobile devices and integrates into a patient’s medical record.

“The reality is this is geared for anyone from a preemie up to a full-sized adult” he said.

When enroute to a call, EMS crews can pre-plan what they’re going to do and the treatment plan they’re going to be able to come up with for their paediatric population, he said.

Rollout of the system started about six weeks ago. All members of EMS have training on it.

Perrett said the program allows members to really concentrate on patient care.

Lethbridge is the first emergency service in Canada to have the program. In the U.S., about 1,350 fire departments use it.

“We are spearheading it for Canada,” said Perrett, of the system which comes from a company based in Florida.

City crews are excited to use the system, Perrett said.

Perrett learned about the system about a year ago from a member who’d asked if he’d heard of it. Perrett contacted the company that runs it and the City was able to bring it here.

“Previously when we would go to paediatric calls, we would get to that location and we’d have to lay that person down,” use a measuring tape to determine length of the patient, and that information would correlate to the treatment plan, the drugs used and the volume.

“We have now eliminated that completely from our service and we are able to now have that information ready to go when you walk in the door,” said Perrett.

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