STAT: Mobile app helps clinicians manage inpatient emergencies

An Advanced Cardiac Life Support Application Improves Performance during Simulated Cardiac Arrest

OBJECTIVES

 Variability in cardiopulmonary arrest training and management leads to inconsistent outcomes during in-hospital cardiac arrest. Existing clinical decision aids, such as American Heart Association (AHA) advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) pocket cards and third-party mobile apps, often lack comprehensive management guidance. We developed a novel, guided ACLS mobile app and evaluated user performance during simulated cardiac arrest according to the 2020 AHA ACLS guidelines via randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

 Forty-six resident physicians were randomized to lead a simulated code team using the AHA pockets cards (N = 22) or the guided app (N = 24). The primary outcome was successful return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Secondary outcomes included code leader stress and confidence, AHA ACLS guideline adherence, and errors. A focus group of 22 residents provided feedback. Statistical analysis included two-sided t-tests and Fisher's exact tests.

RESULTS

 App users showed significantly higher ROSC rate (50 vs. 18%; p = 0.024), correct thrombolytic administration (54 vs. 23%; p = 0.029), backboard use (96 vs. 27%; p < 0.001), end-tidal CO2 monitoring (58 vs. 27%; p = 0.033), and confidence compared with baseline (1.0 vs 0.3; p = 0.005) compared with controls. A focus group of 22 residents indicated unanimous willingness to use the app, with 82% preferring it over AHA pocket cards.

CONCLUSION

 Our guided ACLS app shows potential to improve user confidence and adherence to the AHA ACLS guidelines and may help to standardize in-hospital cardiac arrest management. Further validation studies are essential to confirm its efficacy in clinical practice.