University of Pittsburgh researchers are developing a mobile and web application to assist clinicians in real-time calculation of the Pittsburgh Cardiac Arrest Category (PCAC) score. The PCAC scoring system is a resourceful tool to differentiate cardiac arrest patients, based on clinical characteristics and aiding predicted clinical outcomes. This novel app will assist clinicians, in varied environments, to process and record the PCAC score efficiently. It could enhance patient care and facilitate detailed comparisons within and among treatment centers leading to a greater understanding of best practice.
Description
Over 500,000 Americans per year will suffer a cardiac arrest. The immediate aftercare of these patients is a critical time, involving complex treatments and different expected clinical courses. Clinicians have used PCAC scoring for over a decade as a strong predictor of outcome post cardiac arrest. The use of an electronic tool to calculate the PCAC score at the bedside will help to promptly differentiate patients based on their clinical manifestations, ensuring better patient outcomes, and streamlining clinical workflows.
Applications
• Post-cardiac arrest care
• Out of hospital cardiac arrest
• Hospital quality improvement initiatives
Advantages
Most existing scoring systems for post-cardiac arrest patients lack standardized electronic tools, leading to manual calculations which are prone to errors and hamper patient assessment and comparison among treating centers. While there exists another electronic method to classify patients post cardiac arrest it is unrelated to the PCAC score and uses different variables.
The PCAC app is publicly available and can provide real-time calculations and predictions on health outcomes, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in patient assessment. Furthermore, it facilitates data-driven decision-making, and electronic patient record keeping, allowing for comprehensive comparisons among different healthcare facilities.
Invention Readiness
The PCAC has been internally and externally validated and was found to strongly predict survival and functional patient outcomes in both in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. An easy to use, publicly available working mobile- and web-based app has been developed and is now available for both android and iOS devices.
IP Status
Software
