During a cardiac emergency every second without proper care or treatment can mean the difference between life and death. Travel time for an ambulance and first responders may take up to 30 minutes in remote areas of the state. The Cardiac Ready Community (CRC) Program helps educate, equip, and empower local community members to be better prepared in helping someone experiencing a cardiac event before the ambulance arrives. This program works to create a system of care where community members, first responders, and healthcare professionals work together to save lives.
“As an emergency medical technician (EMT), I see the need to expand awareness of cardiac health. Cardiac readiness is important because time is essential during a cardiac emergency. Community members need to be aware of how to appropriately handle a cardiac emergency,” shared Diana Spinar from Hometown Family Health in Plankinton, SD.
Communities designated as Cardiac Ready have documented increases in bystander CPR rates, bystander AED use, and an increase in survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Plankinton is among the short list of South Dakota communities who can claim the honor.
“A success that we have seen during our Cardiac Ready Campaign is the addition of three automated electronic defibrillators (AED) to our community and the awareness to the public of where these AEDs are available in the community,” said Spinar.
The program helps communities evaluate their readiness for cardiac events, develop awareness and prevention programs, and provide training on CPR and AED use and availability. Helping communities achieve CRC designation improves overall health and health awareness on blood pressure monitoring, smoking cessations, and improving heart health through exercise and diet.
As a community health worker, Spinar helps connect individuals with health and social resources and education.
“A challenge is reaching the Hispanic community in our area. We were able involve a bilingual senior high student in blood pressure fairs to educate this population. With the placement of a blood pressure kiosk at the courthouse and the education that had been provided to the community on “Know Your Numbers,” there has been an increase in awareness and people seeking healthcare related to elevated blood pressures,” said Spinar.
Continuing to improve the heart health of a community will help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest even further. The CRC Program promotes the American Heart Association (AHA) Chain of Survival, which can improve the chances of survival and recovery for victims of cardiac events. Any community can complete a letter of intent and program application to receive support to complete the training and achieve CRC designation.
“Communities that have become designated have a greater sense of pride. The people have come together, stepped up, and realized how much this program matters. They realize a cardiac event can happen to anyone, and that thought hits home in the community,” said Stephanie Hanson, RN, program manager for the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC).
Hanson, who supports communities by answering questions and providing resources and encouragement, was among the featured speakers who provided information on cardiac health resources for communities in the webinar It’s All About the Heart: Opportunities for Cardiac Care in the Dakotas hosted by the Great Plains Quality Innovation Network. The CRC Program is a partnership of the South Dakota Department of Health (DOH), SDFMC, and the South Dakota Cardiovascular Collaborative, which is a voluntary group of medical and public health professionals working to improve quality of life through the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke.