Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) Early Defibrillation Program
An Early Defibrillation Program Deep in the Heart of Texas
Montgomery County, Texas, spans 1,100 square miles and comprises a unique mix of urban, suburban, and deeply rural areas, which about 216,000 people call “home.”
In 1998, the Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) sought to achieve timely defibrillation for victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Rather than put more ambulances on the road, MCHD officials decided to take a more cost-effective route, and deploy portable automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout Montgomery County.
To accomplish their goal, MCHD officials devised with a three-stage plan: Stage One, Fire Department First Response; Stage Two, Law Enforcement First Response; and Stage Three, Community Access Defibrillation.
To begin, MCHD officials purchased 30 Heartstream AEDs. To get the most “bang for their buck,” they placed these units on fire engines and dedicated first-response vehicles that covered highly populated areas, and in locales with ambulance-response times of greater than 8 minutes.
Remarkably, within one month, an SCA victim’s life was saved! When a man in his mid-forties collapsed while watching the Shell Houston Open Golf Tournament, a bike medic, with AED in hand, arrived at the 13th hole within 4 minutes to administer a vital, life-saving shock.
With Stages One and Two in place, MCHD began Stage Three, Community Access Defibrillation, in 1999. MCHD officials focused on highly populated areas, such as Montgomery College, the Woodlands Mall, the Woodlands Inn and Conference Center, the Woodlands High School, the local golf course and aquatics center, and various County buildings. When fully implemented, area schools will house 44 AEDs.
Presently, Montgomery County contains 110 AEDs, and more than 450 people are trained to use them. MCHD has funded most of the early defibrillation program, covering costs for training, supplies, and ongoing medical direction and quality improvement. Local businesses, homeowners associations, and civic associations also provide funding.
Overwhelmed by public response for their community defibrillation program, MCHD credits public support for much of its success. However, the program’s greatest success hangs on the walls of the MCHD offices. Since 1999, a plaque commemorates each CPR and CPR/AED save on their “Wall of Fame.” In some instances, a photograph captures the smiling reunion between rescuer and patient, luckily bonded together in a relationship forged over an AED.