Health

Report Urges Major Steps to Help Victims of Cardiac Arrest

Published

11 years ago

July 1, 2015

LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Would you know what to do if you see someone collapse, not breathing — a loved one at home, a co-worker at the office, a stranger on the street? Far too many Americans die of cardiac arrest, and now a major new report urges a national campaign to improve survival in part by making sure more bystanders know how to help.

Every year, about 395,000 people suffer cardiac arrest in their homes or other non-hospital settings — and less than 6 percent of them survive, the Institute of Medicine estimated Tuesday.

That’s not the whole toll: An additional 200,000 cardiac arrests occur in hospitals every year, and even there only a quarter of patients survive, the report found.

Cardiac arrest is not a heart attack — it’s worse. It means the heart abruptly stops beating, its electrical activity knocked out of rhythm. CPR can buy critical time if it’s started immediately, but Tuesday’s report concludes the nation must take key steps to give victims a better shot.

“Cardiac arrest survival rates are unacceptably low,” said Dr. Robert Graham of George Washington University, who chaired the IOM committee’s investigation. “There is a lot an individual can do to assist somebody if they witness one, and to work with their communities to improve the system of response.”

What to do may sound straightforward: Call 911, and then start quick, hard compressions of the person’s chest until trained responders arrive. If a device called an AED — an automated external defibrillator — is available, use it.

In reality, the IOM committee said fear, not understanding what cardiac arrest is, lack of first-aid training and concern about legal liability can hamper response and cost precious time. Each year, less than 3 percent of the U.S. population receives training in CPR or defibrillator use, while some European countries mandate training, the report found.

Moreover, there are wide disparities in outcomes: One study found that survival ranged from about 8 percent to 40 percent across 10 different communities.

On Tuesday, the IOM called for a major public education effort to teach people how to recognize and react to cardiac arrest — including making CPR training a graduation requirement for high school. According to the American Heart Association, Connecticut just became the 24th state to pass legislation to do that.

State and local health departments should team with health groups to create “a culture of action,” the IOM recommended. It also urged employers to stock defibrillators and train workers to use them, and expanded access to CPR training for people over age 65 and their caregivers.

Good Samaritan laws provide varying legal protection by state. At the same time, laymen shouldn’t feel they have to provide perfect care, said IOM committee member Dr. Tom Aufderheide of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

“Any CPR and any early defibrillation delivered by the public is better than no care at all,” he said.

Other recommendations:

—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should create a national registry of cardiac arrest. There are no good statistics on this killer, the IOM said, calling its own numbers the best available estimates. A registry would track outcomes so communities could take steps to improve. The CDC said it will review the recommendation.

—National standards are needed for emergency medical systems, to ensure that 911 callers are talked through how to provide CPR.

—The National Institutes of Health should expand research for better treatments. Defibrillators attempt to shock the heart back into rhythm so it can resume beating, but most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests aren’t the kind of abnormal rhythms that a shock can fix, said IOM committee member Dr. Lance Becker of the University of Pennsylvania. Yet the report found the NIH spends far less on cardiac arrest research than on other cardiovascular problems.

—Hospitals should have to meet national accreditation standards on cardiac arrest care. Survival of patients who suffer cardiac arrest while hospitalized for some other reason can vary by 10 percent between hospitals, IOM found.

Improvement is possible, the IOM found, calling some communities examples. In King County, Washington, there’s a 62 percent survival rate among patients with a specific shockable form of cardiac arrest if they collapse in front of someone. Policymakers there have spent decades studying what care works best, and getting bystanders and professionals on board with response practices.

The American Heart Association — which along with the American Red Cross, American College of Cardiology and the federal government had requested the IOM’s study — welcomed the recommendations.

Cardiac arrest is “the most critically ill state a human being can be in,” said Dr. Robert W. Neumar of the University of Michigan, who chairs a heart association emergency care committee. The nation needs to create a culture where “if someone collapses in front of you with cardiac arrest, it’s your obligation to help.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Centene Makes $6.3B Bid for Fellow Insurer Health Net

Don't Miss

Report Urges Major Steps to Help Victims of Cardiac Arrest

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Up to the Job: How San Francisco’s PRC Is Providing Work Opportunities That Turn Into Lasting Stability

Each year, PRC serves more than 5,000 clients through a wide range of programs. These include housing navigation, legal advocacy to ensure access to health and public benefits, supportive housing, job and life-skills training, and residential treatment programs.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Black Leadership Council (BLC) Advocacy Day in Sacramento. BLC works to advance meaningful change through policy engagement to unlock the full potential of Black and low-income communities. Photo courtesy PRC.

Joe Kocurek | California Black Media

Seville Christian arrived in San Francisco in the 1990s from Kansas City, Mo., a transgender woman coming from a time and place still hostile to who she was.

San Francisco offered a deeper LGBTQ+ history and a more visible community of people like her, but even in a city known for acceptance, building a stable life from scratch was no small task.

After arriving in the city, she turned to Positive Resource Center (PRC) looking for work — and for a foothold — in a new place.

“PRC gave me my first job,” Christian said. “A simple gig — passing out magazines at the San Francisco Pride Parade.”

That first opportunity marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship with PRC, one that has seen Christian grow from client to valued employee, and eventually to policy fellow.

“Today, I’ve been with PRC for 27 years, going on 28,” she said.

Helping people access employment and build sustainable careers has been a cornerstone of PRC’s mission since its inception nearly four decades ago. In its most recent annual impact report, PRC served 443 clients through workforce development services, including career counseling, educational programs, hands-on training, and job search assistance. The average wage earned by PRC clients is $26.48 per hour — approximately 38% above San Francisco’s minimum wage.

To advance this work, organizations like PRC have benefited from funding through California’s Stop the Hate Program, which provides direct support to community-based organizations leading anti-hate initiatives.

Christian’s path was not without challenges. During some rocky years, she experienced periods of housing instability and struggled with addiction. Through PRC, she enrolled in a life-skills program that emphasized using her own lived experience as a means of helping others. The program helped set her on a path toward completing an associate’s degree and ultimately launching a career in case management.

“Today, whether someone is new to the city or has lived here their whole life, I know how to help them navigate to where they need to be,” Christian said.

PRC welcomed guests to their annual Open House in April, an evening dedicated to connection, reflection, and learning more about the programs and people working every day to support San Franciscans experiencing housing instability, unemployment, and behavioral health challenges.

While PRC was founded to serve people living with HIV, its mission has expanded over the decades to meet the needs of people with disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those facing mental health and substance use challenges.

According to PRC’s Chief of Public Policy and Public Affairs, Tasha Henneman, some of the organization’s earliest programs remain as vital today as they were at the start.

“Our emergency financial assistance program helped more than 1,200 people this year pay rent, cover medical bills, and keep the lights on,” Henneman said. “And over 1,400 people reached out for legal advocacy, resulting in more than $2.5 million in retroactive benefits unlocked.”

Beyond direct services, PRC is deeply committed to community empowerment and policy change. Programs such as the Black Leadership Council support community leaders in advocating for systemic reform, while the Black Trans Initiative focuses on addressing the unique challenges faced by Black transgender individuals.

A recent study from the Williams Institute highlighted findings that 71% of transgender homicide victims in the U.S. between 2010 and 2021 were Black and that nearly a third of the transgender homicides during that period were confirmed or suspected hate crimes. 

PRC’s direct and indirect services can be a lifeline for people experiencing hate and are an example of the resources people can get connected with through the state’s CA vs Hate hotline. 

PRC is now also producing a film project that centers the lived experiences of Black trans clients, including individuals like Christian.

“Our film highlights the health journeys and lived experiences of some of PRC’s Black trans clients,” Henneman said. “Our goal is to give voice, visibility, and agency to the participants — and to bring their stories, both harrowing and inspirational, to policymakers and the broader public.”

The film, expected to be released later this year, is directed by Yule Caise, with assistant director Zarina Codes, a Black transgender San Francisco resident.

Today, Christian continues her relationship with PRC as an ambassador, reflecting on a journey that began with a single job opportunity and grew into a lifelong commitment to service.

“Sometimes I’ll be riding the bus or standing in a grocery store, and someone will come up to me from a women’s shelter,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, Miss Seville, I just want to thank you. You really helped me with what I was dealing with.’”

She paused, smiling.

“And in those moments,” Christian said, “I think to myself, “Well!.”

A single word that sums up pride in a journey to find the best in herself.

Get Support After Hate:

California vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hotline and online portal offering confidential support for hate crimes and incidents. Victims and witnesses can get help anonymously by calling 833-8-NO-HATE (833-866-4283), Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PT, or online at any time. Anonymous. Confidential. No Police. No ICE.This story was produced in partnership with CA vs Hate. Join them for the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11, 2026. More information at www.cavshate.org/summit.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Stanford Health Care Collaborates with Alameda Health System Affiliate, Expanding Access to Care in East Bay

Introduced at a community event hosted at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, an AHS affiliate, the partnership will enhance care for nearly 400,000 residents and solidify St. Rose’s position as a cornerstone of health and healing in the East Bay.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 19, 2026

Oakland Post

At St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, Alameda Health System and Stanford Announce Partnership.(L-R) Mark Fratzke, COO Alameda Health System (AHS), James Jackson, CEO AHS, Richard Espinoza, chief administrative officer AHS, California Assemblymember Liz Ortega (D-San Leandro), Rick Shumway, COO Stanford Health Care (SHC), Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Márquez, and Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

On April 9, Alameda Health System (AHS) and Stanford Health Care announced a new collaboration to expand access to specialized medical services across central and southern Alameda County.

The initiative marks a milestone for the region, uniting two leading institutions in a shared mission to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care closer to home. Through this collaboration, AHS and Stanford Health Care will expand rehabilitative and behavioral health services, increase use of St. Rose’s operating rooms for advanced procedures, and enhance inpatient medical-surgical units managed by Stanford Health Care physicians.

The partnership will also support the AHS/St. Rose Foundation to advance local health programs that directly benefit East Bay residents.

Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Márquez praised the collaboration’s impact on local stability.

“This hospital was on the brink of closing, and saving it became my top priority,” Márquez said. “With continued collaboration, we’ll not only strengthen St. Rose but restore vital services like labor and delivery so babies can be born in Hayward again.

“When Stanford Health Care in Santa Clara stepped up, it was a pivotal moment,” she said. Keeping St. Rose open protects the entire regional health care ecosystem.”

James Jackson, chief executive officer of Alameda Health System, highlighted how the effort builds on recent progress at St. Rose.

“In just two years, AHS has made St. Rose financially stable and thriving,” Jackson said. “We want to make sure patients no longer need to drive miles down the highway to get care.

“Our mission; caring, healing, teaching, and serving all, remains at the heart of this collaboration. While HR1 presents real challenges for health care funding nationwide, it also offers an opportunity to reimagine how we deliver care. I’m confident that, through innovation and partnership, we’ll emerge stronger than before.”

For Rick Shumway, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Stanford Health Care, the alignment between the two organizations is crucial.

“This partnership reflects exactly who we are and who we aspire to be,” he said. “Working alongside AHS and St. Rose allows us to better understand community needs and respond meaningfully. Partnerships like this will carry us forward. We’re stronger together.”

AHS Chief Operating Officer Mark Fratzke echoed the same sentiment.

“I’m excited that the communities of Hayward and S. Alameda have access to care like this, he said. “Never underestimate the power of collaborations and partnerships.”

For nearly six decades, St. Rose Hospital has served Alameda County as a community-based safety-net hospital. One of Hayward’s largest employers, it provides more than 800 jobs and 300 skilled physicians and is designated by Alameda County as a ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction STEMI Receiving Center for heart attack care.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

COMMENTARY: The Biases We Don’t See — Preventing AI-Driven Inequality in Health Care

For decades, medicine promoted false assumptions about Black bodies. Black patients were told they had lower lung capacity, and medical devices adjusted their results accordingly. That practice was not broadly reversed until 2021. Up until 2022, a common medical formula used to measure how well a person’s kidneys were working automatically gave Black patients a higher score simply because they were Black. On paper, this made their kidneys appear healthier than they truly were. As a result, kidney disease was sometimes detected later in Black patients, delaying critical treatment and referrals.

Published

3 months ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D (D-San Diego). File photo.

By Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D., Special to California Black Media Partners

Technology is sold to us as neutral, objective, and free of human flaws. We are told that computers remove emotion, bias, and error from decision-making. But for many Black families, lived experience tells a different story. When technology is trained on biased systems, it reflects those same biases and silently carries them forward.

We have seen this happen across multiple industries. Facial recognition software has misidentified Black faces at far higher rates than White faces, leading to wrongful police encounters and arrests. Automated hiring systems have filtered out applicants with traditionally Black names because past hiring data reflected discriminatory patterns. Financial algorithms have denied loans or offered worse terms to Black borrowers based on zip codes and historical inequities, rather than individual creditworthiness. These systems did not become biased on their own. They were trained on biased data.

Healthcare is not immune.

These biases were not limited to software or medical devices. Dangerous myths persisted that Black people feel less pain, contributing to undertreatment and delayed care. These beliefs were embedded in modern training and practice, not distant history. Those assumptions shaped the data that now feeds medical technology. When biased clinical practices form the basis of algorithms, the risk is not hypothetical. The bias can be learned, automated, and scaled.

For us in the Black community, this creates understandable fear and mistrust. Many families already carry generational memories of medical discrimination, from higher maternal mortality to lower life expectancy to being dismissed or unheard in clinical settings. Adding AI biases could make our community even more apprehensive about the healthcare system.

As a physician, I know how much trust patients place in the healthcare system during their most vulnerable moments. As a Black woman, I understand how bias can shape experiences in ways that are often invisible to those who do not live them. As a mother of two Black children, I think constantly about the systems that will shape their health and well-being. As a legislator, I believe it is our responsibility to confront emerging risks before they become widespread harm.

That is why I am the author of Senate Bill (SB) 503. This bill aims to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare by requiring developers and users of AI systems to identify, mitigate, and monitor biased impacts in their outputs to reduce racial and other disparities in clinical decision-making and patient care.

Currently under consideration in the State Assembly, SB 503 was not written to slow innovation. In fact, I encourage it. But it is our duty must ensure that every tool we in the healthcare field helps patients rather than harms them.

The health of our families depends on it.

About the Author

Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D–San Diego) is a physician and public health advocate representing California’s 39th Senate District.