Originally Posted by rubindj
A true dedication to passenger saftey would have a physician on the ground to direct in flight emergencies (same as an ER doc at the hospital), create response protocols for various issues, standing orders, etc. As I haven't yet seen airlines or the AFA push for this, I assume its not important to them.
We already have that - it's a service called MedLink that I mentioned earlier. (See
www.medaire.com for more information).
Originally Posted by rubindj
Yes, AED's are a good option; however, in over 65 years of combined medical practice at one rural location I am familiar with, there has only been 1 case where an AED would have been useful -- and even then it was questionable. Much more useful would be a stock of drugs like epinepherine, heprin, lidocaine, morphine, etc. A BP cuff would also be useful (but may already be on the planes).
Actually, AED's are much more useful than that in most cardiac arrest events. We know that early defibrillation is vital, with rural communities and other venues (like airplanes) that have no immediate access to EMS benefitting the most. There have been several studies confirming that survivability increases dramatically when AED's are available. Our enhanced medical kit also contains some medications - including cardiac epi.