Methodology for data collection to study prehospital cardiac arrest in New York City: the PHASE methodology. PreHospital Arrest Survival Evaluation Group.

Abstract

To describe an effective methodology for the investigation of prehospital cardiac arrest in large cities. Observational cohort study. New York City emergency medical services system. All cardiac arrests dispatched by the 911 system between October 1, 1990, and March 31, 1991. Trained paramedics performed immediate postarrest interviews with prehospital and hospital care providers using a standardized data collection instrument. Of 3,239 consecutive, confirmed cardiac arrests in which resuscitation was attempted, 2,329 (72%) were of cardiac etiology. Information was sought for 15 of the 17 core events and times recommended by the Utstein Consensus Conference Data were obtained in more than 98% of cases for all except one of these core events and times. One core time yielded data in 96% of cases. All patients were followed until death or discharge home. None were lost to follow-up. Concurrent, interactive acquisition of prehospital cardiac arrest data in a large urban setting captured over 98% of the core data recommended for completion of the Utstein template. This methodology may be a suitable means of investigating prehospital cardiac arrest in large cities.