To translate a set of evidence‐based clinical standards designed to allow paramedics to forgo unnecessary and potentially harmful resuscitation attempts into a feasible new policy.
Policy documents, meeting minutes, and personal communications between a large urban mergency edical ervices () agency serving all of os ngeles ounty () and a research group were reviewed over 12 months.
and niversity of alifornia, os ngeles () formed a partnership (the ) to develop and translate the standards into new protocols. Clinical indicators considered appropriate and feasible by an expert panel were submitted to the agency for inclusion in the new policy.
The submitted the results to the Commission and a physician advisory group for review. Of the 41 indicators approved by the expert panel, 22 would have resulted in changes to the current policy. All six involved asking family members about or honoring written and verbal Do Not Attempt Resuscitate requests, but only 4 of the 16 indicators based on clinical characteristics were included in the new policy. Ultimately, 10 of the 22 indicators that would have changed policy were approved and implemented.
By collaboration, a large agency and a research team were able to develop and implement a revised resuscitation policy within 1 year.
