November 18, 2024 | Innovation, Medicine, Operations

Automated CPR device improves focus on patient

STARS flight paramedic Scott McTaggart stands next to a demonstration of the Auto CPR device now being used by STARS on missions.

STARS has introduced automated CPR machines to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of resuscitation efforts during emergency flights.

The Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) operates by assessing the patient’s chest wall flexibility and then delivering compressions at the precise depth and rate the patient requires.

The decision to introduce this machine was driven by both technological advancements and firsthand experiences.

“We know that CPR is inconsistent, so we want to provide consistency for effective CPR,” explained Scott McTaggart, a flight paramedic with more than two decades of experience at STARS. “This is all based on what’s best for the patient while we’re busy in the back of the aircraft.”

The need for this technology was solidified during a recent mission where an automated CPR machine helped save a patient’s life by delivering consistent chest compressions, allowing the crew to focus on other critical tasks.

“Without that device, the patient would not have survived,” said McTaggart.

STARS flight nurse Bruce Parsons played an important role in advancing the project and acquiring the new equipment, which was made possible by donors.

Our Grande Prairie base was the first to trial the automated CPR machine, with the Calgary base later purchasing one — the LUCAS 3 model by Stryker, a leading medical technology company.

The machine arrived in March 2024, and the crew completed online training and an in-person session with a Stryker representative. By April, our air medical crews were fully trained, and the machine was put into service later that month.

The impact was immediate. The automated CPR machine delivers consistent compressions, allowing the crew to focus on other important aspects of patient care like managing the airway and administering medications.

Feedback from the STARS crew has been very positive, as the machine allows them to concentrate on other areas of resuscitation.

“The future of this machine at STARS, I hope, will be organization-wide,” McTaggart said.

Winnipeg is set to be the next STARS base to implement this technology, with two machines slated for delivery.

With continued support from donors, STARS can stay on the leading edge of medical technology, enabling us to provide the highest level of care to patients when they need it most.