CCH receives 18 mechanical CPR devices thanks to Helmsley Charitable Trust

Thanks to a nearly $220,000 grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Trust, Campbell County Health will receive 18 LUCAS mechanical CPR devices to protect frontline healthcare workers caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The gift enables CCH to place these devices in all patient care areas at Campbell County Memorial Hospital including nursing units, the Heptner Cancer Center, Dialysis unit, Surgical Services and each ambulance. These automatic CPR devices can be crucial lifesavers in rural areas where there are fewer paramedics and longer ambulance rides to hospitals.

“We greatly appreciate this gift from the Helmsley Trust,” said Chris Beltz, CCH Emergency Medical Services Director. “The LUCAS device does the chest compressions without touching the patient. Having more of these units here can potentially save lives, and protect both patients and healthcare workers.”

The LUCAS® Chest Compression System (LUCAS®) delivers consistent and uninterrupted chest compressions, which allows providers to concentrate on other equally important aspects of patient care while giving patients the best opportunity of survival. Mechanical CPR has been adopted by first responders due to its ability to deliver extended CPR in compliance with American Heart Association guidelines. Multiple studies have demonstrated equivalence to high-performance CPR, as well as increased provider safety and higher rates of adequate compressions for patients in transport situations.

A total of $4,711,481 in funding will be distributed across five upper Midwestern dates to pay for 367 LUCAS mechanical CPR devices to be deployed to hospitals. The Helmsley Charitable Trust is partnering with medical facilities in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Worming and Nebraska to ensure the devices are in place within two weeks from the initial concept, before the projected peak of COVID-19 cases.

Recently, the Department of Defense COVID-19 Practice Management Guide identified the LUCAS chest compression system as the best practice for managing patients in cardiac arrest to reduce the risk of exposure to healthcare providers.