Surgery Center South in Dothan, Ala., earned the HeartSafe workplace designation, a certification given to workplaces that have employees trained to specifically combat sudden cardiac arrest, local news source the Dothan Eagle reported May 26.
The center obtained its accreditation by the Dothan fire department for having a percentage of employees trained in hands-only CPR and having automated external defibrillators on-site.
The HeartSafe initiative was founded by the Dothan fire department, chamber of commerce and local nonprofit the Southeast Health Foundation.
HeartSafe workplaces focus on four elements to improve survival rates of employees and customers from sudden cardiac arrest.
According to the HeartSafe website, those four lifesaving elements are:
1. Early identification: Promoting awareness of the signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest, to encourage bystanders to call 911 immediately.
2. Early CPR: Increasing the number of individuals trained in hands-only CPR, which increases the chance of effective defibrillation.
3. Early defibrillation: Increasing access to and awareness of automated external defibrillators throughout the community, which is a critical link for survival.
4. EMS intervention: Basic and advanced care provided by EMS is critical. Steps one through three by the public aid EMS and provide the best chance for a cardiac arrest victim's survival.