RESUSC-O: A Community Cardiopulmonary–Cerebral Resuscitation Provider App

Sir, It is essential to have our own community-based cardiopulmonary–cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) app in outskirts and remote areas where a person trained in basic cardiac life support (BCLS) or at least in compression-only life support (COLS) can be an emergency lifesaver.[1] The idea for the application stemmed from the fact that time is precious in saving a patient who had cardiac arrest as a delay in each minute of defibrillation decreases the survival chances by 7%.[2] Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation are necessary to give the best chance of survival. Brain damage begins after 4–6 min without oxygen, and brain death occurs by 10 min.[3] Hence, it is prudent to start CPCR at the earliest for a better outcome. Hence, by the time the patient is brought in an ambulance to the nearest healthcare facility, a considerable percentage of survival is lost. Western countries such as Denmark and the USA already have CPCR apps such as PulsePoint, Heart Hero and Heartrunner that dispatch trained CPR providers to the place where a cardiac arrest has happened in addition to detection of an available nearby automated external defibrillator. Having our own community app with a working model based on navigation similar to a cab booking app, we will be able to save lives with timely resuscitation. The working model of the app will be user-friendly for both the service provider and receivers. The service providers are the trained BCLS/ACLS/COLS providers who are residing in the community including but not limited to doctors, paramedics or volunteers. They should register in the app and get their training certificates verified by a nodal hospital (e.g., AIIMS Rishikesh). The service receivers are the patients or the relatives who have the app-RESUSC-O downloaded. In the event of an emergency in a remote location, the relative or the patient can search for the nearest RESUSC-O provider after entering their location (just like searching for the cabs in OLA/UBER apps) while at the same time mobilising an ambulance. The registered service provider who keeps his app turned on to show their availability will receive the notification or beep and they will be able to reach the location where they can resuscitate the patient until the ambulance arrives and definitive treatment is started at the hospital [Figure 1]. In case the service provider is not able to attend the notification within a stipulated time, i.e. 15 s, the next service provider will be searched. Being a lifesaver app, it would be ideal to make it available in the Play Store as a free downloadable app.Figure 1: 'RESUSC– O'– Working idea for the appThe name 'RESUSC-O' is given for the reason 'O' has no end point unlike any other alphabets and the same applies to resuscitation. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.