Keeping current with biphasic defibrillation waveforms

In recent years, defibrillators that use a biphasic waveform instead of the traditional monophasic waveform have become increasingly common. In fact, since we last published on this topic in 2001, most defibrillator suppliers have begun concentrating solely on developing and marketing biphasic defibrillators while phasing out their monophasic models. Healthcare facilities are wondering if they should do the same. ECRI believes that the time has come for healthcare facilities to begin making the switch to biphasic models. That's not to say, however, that immediate replacement is required. Continuing to use a monophasic device that is in proper working condition is certainly acceptable, and replacing all models at once would be a large--and we believe unnecessary--financial burden. Rather, ECRI recommends that healthcare facilities implement a plan to phase out their monophasic defibrillators over the next few years. We discuss why, and offer recommendations to facilitate a safe and smooth transition, on the pages that follow.