In September, a 911 call about a cardiac arrest in Clemmons, N.C., might be answered by a drone lugging an automated external defibrillator, KFF Health News reported July 22.
When people experience a cardiac arrest not within a hospital, about 90% die because they lack immediate help from first responders or bystanders, according to the news outlet.
On average, it takes seven minutes for emergency medical services to arrive, but rural areas face longer delays, a 2017 study found. A drone can shorten this wait to four minutes.
The city's sheriff's office is launching the project alongside Duke University's Clinical Research Institute in Durham, N.C., and drone consulting firm Hovecon. A drone pilot will listen to 911 calls, and if a cardiac arrest event is suspected, the pilot will send the drone before EMS is called. The AED comes with simple instructions, and a 911 dispatcher can also help guide bystanders.
For years, the healthcare industry has steadily invested in medical supply-carrying drones. Interested parties include hospital systems, online pharmacies and the U.S. military. Similar to the project in North Carolina, Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital is collaborating with Manatee County leaders for drones to deliver an AED to 911 calls about a cardiac arrest, opioid overdose or trauma.