American Heart Association, Mass General create digital health app for cardiac emergencies

Editor's Note

The American Heart Association and Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) have partnered to create and launch a new digital health app for frontline workers, according to an Association Press release published on November 9.

The Association’s Adult Cardiac Life Support app offers access to key resources, such as algorithms for correct administration and timing of CPR, defibrillation shocks, and drug dosages to help healthcare workers to respond to life-threatening situations.

The app was created from a combination of the Association’s resuscitation science and Mass General's innovative technology. It provides pathways, timers, and logging tools for healthcare workers to use in a cardiac emergency. 

Physicians need an efficient way to see guidelines and keep track of time in these stressful situations. “When seconds matter, doctors and nurses can now better leverage digital tools to enhance the quality of life-saving care,” a co-creator of the app notes.

The creation of this partnership comes from the mutual interest in creating life-saving and accessible digital tools for healthcare workers. “Our app is like a checklist for saving a life. It has been used to run codes more effectively, and more confidently, at the bedside,” another co-creator says, adding that he hopes it will eventually improve patient care around the world.