GoodSAM, Mobile Collaboration that Saves Lives

CPR Facts and Statistics from the American Heart Association

• Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after cardiac arrest, can double a victim’s chance of survival.
• CPR helps maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain and increases the amount of time that an electric shock from a defibrillator can be effective.
• Brain death starts to occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occurs during that time.
• If bystander CPR is not provided, a sudden cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival fall 7 percent to 10 percent for every minute of delay until defibrillation. Few attempts at resuscitation are successful if CPR and defibrillation are not provided within minutes of collapse.

It’s often people’s worst nightmares, medical emergencies at home, and having to wait for the EMT. The GoodSAM Responder app is an example that utilizes mobile collaboration to help save lives.

When Emergency Services who are contracted with GoodSAM receive an emergency call related to Cardiac Arrest, an alert is sent out on the GoodSAM Responder app. Adult individuals who are in the area who have downloaded the app, and uploaded medical credentials, or First Aid certificates (that have been verified) are immediately notified of the emergency and can choose to respond. An ambulance could be seven to ten minutes away, but someone who can help may be only three houses away.

• When a responder accepts a call, their name and photo are displayed on the map, and emergency services are able to see how far away they are based on mobile geolocation.
• GoodSAM works with Google Maps, and responders are shown where the person in need of emergency assistance is, and how far away they are.
• Responders are also able to communicate through call and text through the app with emergency services or other GoodSAM responders to obtain information about the emergency prior to arriving on the scene. 
• The app also provides the option of recording through video or audio once the responder arrives on the scene.
• GoodSAM also encourages users to help create a map of Defibrillator/AEDs, Bleed Kits, Water Rescue Equipment, and Outdoor Fire Equipment by using the app, tagging the location, adding accessibility times, and taking a photo of the equipment.
• If a defibrillator is nearby, a responder will be notified of its location on the map. They are also able to notify emergency services if they have obtained a defibrillator and are bringing it to the scene.

While not technically educational-based, this application shows how a community of mobile users can collaborate to help save lives.

---