The Christ Hospital - Project Heart ReStart

Overview

Launched in May 2006, Project Heart ReStart is The Christ Hospital’s initiative to increase the awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and to support placement of lifesaving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the community. The American Heart Association estimates that up to 295,000 Americans experience SCA each year. Nationally, only six percent of all SCA victims survive. In locations where an AED is present and used quickly, survival rates go up to as high as 75 percent. Project Heart ReStart’s goal is to place an AED within five minutes of any potential SCA event and reduce the number of SCA deaths in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Project Heart ReStart also provides instruction on AED usage and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Recipient organizations receive at no charge an AED, a carrying case with an emergency response kit, a wall cabinet, training for a core group in the organization, consultation on the placement within the facility, and a delivery consultation on basic information about the AED. In addition to AED placement, Project Heart ReStart educates the community about SCA, CPR, and AED usage. This is done through training and education classes, community education events, phone-a-thons, news media promotions, and public service announcements on National Public Radio.

Impact

Since its inception, Project Heart ReStart has provided more than 200 AEDs to non-profit organizations in Greater Cincinnati and provided CPR training to more than 3,500 persons. Many recipients are faith-based organizations, along with schools, parks, social service organizations, senior centers, and others.

Challenges/success factors

The program is a collaboration between hospitals, providers, industry, physicians, emergency responders, businesses, educators, and community leaders who work together to fulfill the mission of education and AED placement.

Future direction/sustainability

Project Heart ReStart has funding for and is actively working toward a data system that would allow 911 dispatchers to be able to access the locations of all AEDs in the hospital’s Tristate area, and send witness bystanders via cell phone or text alert to retrieve the nearest AED in an emergent situation.

Advice to others

A successful AED program includes fundraising, marketing, data collection, training, and planning. In addition, creating/maintaining a business model apart from AED vendor contracts can be difficult but is doable if there is a community organization willing to help cover start-up costs.

Contact: Mark Johnston
Project Heart ReStart Coordinator
Telephone: 513-585-1415
E-mail: Mark.johnston@thechristhospital.com