YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED.
ONCE I PURCHASE AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED), AM I HELD LIABLE IF A PATIENT DOES NOT SURVIVE?
All 50 states have good Samaritan laws which protect individuals, emergency first responders and sometimes medical personnel from being sued for a good-faith effort to render assistance to another person. A May 2003 article in "The Fabricator" noted that at that time, no lawsuits had been filed against anyone for the use of a defibrillator, though several cases have gone to court alleging liability because a company did not provide a defibrillator. As AEDs become less expensive and more widely available, not having them may hold more potential for a lawsuit than having one. Every minute the patient doesn’t receive CPR or the use of AED, the chance of survival decreases by 10%.
CAN ANYONE USE AN AED? DO I NEED TO BE TRAINED TO USE IT?
The AED is designed to be very simple to use. The LIFEPAK AEDs are one of the most straightforward and simplest AEDs in the industry. Anyone who is not trained to use an AED will find this defibrillator to be very easy to use, as the AED will guide you through every step.
We encourage that everyone takes a CPR/AED class to better familiarize themselves with warning signs of a cardiac event. While learning the warning signs, as well as learning CPR, the chances of someone surviving a cardiac event will greatly increase!
Please see the CPR/AED Training Page!
DO I NEED TO PURCHASE A MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THE AED?
Most large companies that have multiple AEDs (10+) can purchase an optional Heart Safe Solutions plan. If the business that is purchasing has fewer than 10 AEDs, there is no recommendation to purchase an additional maintenance plan.
The LIFEPAK CR2 AED will perform weekly internal maintenance checks, along with a more in-depth monthly check to make sure the AED is ready to go. If there is an issue with your AED, an icon will pop up on the display which you can troubleshoot with your ownership manual. If the manual doesn’t solve the issue, there is a phone number provided from Physio Control to call, as well as field service representatives in the area that will help at no charge.
ARE THERE ANY COSTS OF OWNERSHIP?
Besides the cost of the AED, every 2.5 to 3 years (which varies based if the AED is used or not), you will need to replace the battery and electrodes for the CR Plus. The cost for a new battery and electrodes is around $130 with shipping. The CR2 battery and pads will need to be replaced every 4 years.
The LIFEPAK CR2, LIFEPAK CR Plus & Heartsine 360P has the longest warranty in the industry at 8 years, which means that for the entire lifespan of the AED it is covered under warranty.
WHAT COMES WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE LIFEPAK AED?
QUIK-PAK electrodes with REDI-PAK preconnect system
CHARGE-PAK Charging Unit
Quick Reference instruction card
AED Program implementation starter kit
Reference manual (CD)
Orientation DVD
5-8 Year warranty (depending on model)
WHAT DO I DO WITH MY OLD UNITS IF I'M REPLACING THEM?
Usually, Physio-Control offers an AED buy back program, in which you can receive up to $250 per unit when you purchase a new Lifepak AED. The amounts for each AED vary by AED model type. Physio-Control will send you prepaid shipping labels for all AED buy back units.
I HAVE AN OLDER AED(S), WHEN SHOULD I BUY NEW UNITS?
There are currently two sources that regularly review depreciation of medical supplies. The American Hospital Association’s 2004 Estimated Useful Lives of Depreciable Hospital Assets lists the life expectancy of a defibrillator at five (5) years. The Department of the Army Technical Bulletin (TB MED 7) lists life expectancy of a defibrillator at (8) eight years. Typically, you can rely on the length of the AED manufacturer's warranty as a general indicator of the quality and reliability of the AED device. That warranty period will tell you how long the manufacturer expects the AED to operate successfully. (from www.schoolhealth.com)
IF I HAVE NEVER USED MY AED, BUT KEEP REPLACING THE BATTERY, IS REPLACING THE UNIT A BIG CONCERN?
Yes. Electronic components age and lose their effectiveness over time, even if they are not being used. Many units today turn themselves on and off to perform functional checks, so even if the AED has never been deployed to save a life, it has been in service during its lifetime. In order to save a life, your device should be in the best condition. (from www.schoolhealth.com)