2021 Postdoctoral Fellowship

Years funded: 2022-2023

Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) is the leading cause of death in otherwise healthy adults affecting approximately 25,000 Australians per year, with survival of 11%. Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) a "mini" heart lung bypass machine has been used during cardiac arrest (ECMO - CPR or E-CPR) to maintain adequate perfusion to the brain and vital organs, whilst awaiting definitive treatment or recovery. E-CPR is usually instituted on arrival at specific hospitals which are “E-CPR capable” and has changed the standard of care at these hospitals. Despite the increased survival in these patients, this model of in hospital E-CPR is very costly, resource intensive and difficult to replicate in other hospitals. This greatly limits access to E-CPR to the catchment area of a few metropolitan hospitals. Using existing databases, trial data, novel traffic and spatial modelling plan, Associate Professor Mark Dennis and team will identify the right patient and the right care model to effectively delivery E-CPR in NSW. This model will then be able to be used across Australia.