Make the Most of Your Layover by Learning Hands-Only CPR

22 Dic 2017, 10:02 AM CST

Anthem Foundation and American Heart Association help holiday
travelers learn a 5-minute lifesaving technique

INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With 58
million people expected to fly this holiday season, increased
activity at airports and the perhaps the unanticipated layover can
likely be expected. Travelers who find themselves with time on their
hands while waiting on their flight can make the most out of delays by
learning the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR at eight interactive
kiosks located at several airports nationwide, nationally supported by
the Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc., in
partnership with the American Heart Association, the world’s leading
voluntary health organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular disease.

Since 2016, the Hands-Only CPR training kiosk program has provided
thousands of travelers with access to an innovative way to quickly and
easily learn a skill they can use to save the life of loved ones or even
a stranger in the event of a cardiac arrest emergency outside of the
hospital. The Hands-Only CPR kiosk has a touch screen with a short
video, available in both the Spanish or English language. The video
provides an overview of Hands-Only CPR, followed by a practice session
and a 30-second test. With the help of a practice manikin, or rubber
torso, the kiosk gives feedback about the depth and rate of
compressions, as well as proper hand placement – factors that influence
the CPR quality and effectiveness.

“Our nation’s airports have proven to be a great way to reach thousands
of people and provide greater access to learn the life-saving skill of
Hands-Only CPR,” said Craig Samitt, MD, chief clinical officer at
Anthem, Inc. “Since the launch of the training kiosk program, over
56,000 people have learned this valuable skill in less than five
minutes. In doing so they have taken the time to learn a skill that
prepares them to save someone’s life and are helping to increase the
number of bystander CPR response rate.”

Each year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital.
A clinical study published in the journal Resuscitation,
which evaluated data from nearly 10,000 patients found that the highest
frequency of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occurs during December. The
study evaluated the data related to nearly 10,000 patients in the United
States and Canada. These findings underscore the importance of learning
Hands-Only CPR particularly during a time of year when cardiac
emergencies are more likely to occur.

“Every second counts when a person suffers an out-of-hospital cardiac
arrest,” said Clifton Callaway, M.D., Ph.D., a volunteer on the
Association’s Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee and professor of
emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “Yet most people do
not act because they don’t recognize what is happening or lack
confidence to start CPR. But it’s imperative that anyone who sees a
person collapse responds immediately and performs CPR or Hands-Only CPR
until emergency responders arrive. The kiosk training will help
laypersons understand how simple Hands-Only CPR is and provide a comfort
level to become rescuers. Seconds can make the difference for somebody
they know or love, and waiting for professional responders to arrive may
be too long.”

The Association has a mission goal to increase the bystander CPR
response rate from 31 percent to 62 percent by 2020. The Hands-Only CPR
kiosk program with support from the Foundation is one important way that
the Association aims to achieve this goal by helping bystanders learn
this skill.

Flight delays and cancellations can happen at any time, and during the
holidays the chances increase by almost 11%.
To make the most of the holiday layover, take the time to learn this
lifesaving technique at the Hands-Only CPR kiosks at the following
airports:

O’Hare International Airport (ORD): Terminal 2 by Gates E1, E2 and E3
Indianapolis International Airport (IND): Terminal A, Gate 8
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): Concourse A
between Gates A11 and A15
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI):
Concourse B, Gate B7
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE): Behind Central
Checkpoint across from the Interfaith Center
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG): Concourse A near Gates A6
and A7
Orlando International Airport (MCO): Outside the Food Court, Near the
Shuttle to Gates 70-129
John Wayne Airport (SNA): Terminal A, Gate 8

In addition to the eight Anthem supported Hands-Only CPR training
kiosks, additional kiosks can be found in select locations across the country.

Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR for
cardiac arrest when it occurs in public. CPR can double or triple the
chance of the victim’s survival. Since 2012, nearly 9.7 million people
have been trained in Hands-Only CPR via events, training kiosks and
video education with the Foundation’s support. If your flight cancels or
delays, take the time to learn Hands-Only CPR at a nearby kiosk and
truly make the most of your holiday layover. To learn more about the
Hands-Only CPR campaign and be prepared to save a life, visit heart.org/handsonlycpr.

About Anthem Foundation

The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and
through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes
the inherent commitment of Anthem, Inc. to enhance the health and
well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem, Inc.
and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its
funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative
solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy
Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets
specific disease states and medical conditions. These disease states and
medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low
birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that
decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in
adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and
smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s
year-round Associate Giving program which provides a 50 percent match of
associates’ pledges, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for
Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem
Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation
and its blog at http://anthemfoundation.tumblr.com.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart
disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We
team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for
stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and
information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based
association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization
dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get
involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org
or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook
and Twitter

Contacts

Anthem Foundation
Leslie Porras
(202) 508-7891
leslie.porras@anthem.com