Locating AED Enabled Medical Drones to Enhance Cardiac Arrest Response Times

Abstract

Although there are still many factors to consider, drone networks show potential to greatly reduce life-saving equipment travel times for victims of cardiac arrest.

Delivery of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) by Drones: Implications for Emergency Cardiac Care

“…Research into AED drones are timely because of recent attention towards the prehospital period (i.e., symptom onset to emergency department arrival) to reduce total ischemia burden time (i.e., symptom onset to reperfusion) [22]. In 2016, Pulver et al developed a geographical approach for distribution of an AED-equipped drone network, designed to minimize travel time to reach OHCA victims [23•]. Investigators used census block groups for demographic data and cardiac incidence rates to develop three potential drone network configurations to cover a geographically diverse region of 2080 km2.…”

“…Investigators used census block groups for demographic data and cardiac incidence rates to develop three potential drone network configurations to cover a geographically diverse region of 2080 km2. Investigators used GIS to compare travel times between current EMS data (from existing EMS infrastructure) and determined optimal spatial configurations of a medical drone network [23•]. Investigators found that a network of drones could cover 90% of cardiac arrest demand within a minute, as compared to the current response coverage of 4.3% with current EMS organization [23•].…”

“…Investigators used GIS to compare travel times between current EMS data (from existing EMS infrastructure) and determined optimal spatial configurations of a medical drone network [23•]. Investigators found that a network of drones could cover 90% of cardiac arrest demand within a minute, as compared to the current response coverage of 4.3% with current EMS organization [23•]. In 2017, Sweden investigators conducted a study to compare times between drone delivery and EMS delivery to OHCA sites, where consecutive OHCAs occurred prior [16•].…”

The challenges and possibilities of public access defibrillation

“…Drones can be remotely dispatched by the EMD and with full automation fly to the site of the OHCA. Currently, there are many obstacles such as legislation and practical implementation issues, but simulation studies and theoretical models have shown promising results in reducing response time in OHCA [34,77].…”

The Drone Sector in Europe

“…3. Hardy et al (2017) Mapping malaria vector habitats Pulver et al (2016) Transporting automated external defibrillators Chabot and Francis (2016) Bird detection Hodgson et al (2017) Surveying marine fauna Sankey et al (2017) Forest monitoring Casella et al (2017) Mapping coral reefs Szantol et al (2017) Mapping orangutan habitat Chowdhury et al (2017) Disaster response and relief Restas (2015) Supporting disaster management (earthquakes, floods, fires) Source Own elaboration from different sources …”