Automated external defibrillators in long-term care facilities are cost-effective

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine
• Health Economics

Background:

• Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a critical event in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
• Prompt defibrillation is crucial for survival in cases of ventricular fibrillation (VF).
• The cost-effectiveness of deploying automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in LTCFs remains an important consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cost per life saved by equipping LTCFs with AEDs.
• To determine the economic viability of AED implementation in these settings.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of cardiac arrest data from LTCFs (1994-1997) in a mid-sized U.S. city.
• Estimation of four-year costs for AED acquisition, maintenance, and staff training.
• Calculation of cost per life saved based on a projected 25% survival rate for VF patients.

Main Results:

• The estimated cost per life saved was $87,837, assuming a 25% survival rate for VF patients to hospital discharge.
• Sensitivity analysis showed costs ranging from $62,741 to $439,184 per life saved with varying survival rates (5%-35%).
• Adjusting costs by half or double yielded costs per life saved of $43,918 and $175,674, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in LTCFs present a cost-effective intervention for saving lives.
• Achieving a 25% survival rate for cardiac arrest patients in ventricular fibrillation (VF) is key to this cost-effectiveness.
• The findings support the strategic placement of AEDs in long-term care settings.