Reporting standard for describing first responder systems, smartphone alerting systems, and AED networks.

Standardized reporting of data is crucial for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) research. While the implementation of first responder systems dispatching volunteers to OHCA is encouraged, there is currently no uniform reporting standard for describing these systems. A steering committee established a literature search to identify experts in smartphone alerting systems. These international experts were invited to a conference held in Hinterzarten, Germany, with 40 researchers from 13 countries in attendance. Prior to the conference, participants submitted proposals for parameters to be included in the reporting standard. The conference comprised five workshops covering different aspects of smartphone alerting systems. Proposed parameters were discussed, clarified, and consensus was achieved using the Nominal Group Technique. Participants voted in a modified Delphi approach on including each category as a core or supplementary element in the reporting standard. Results were presented, and a writing group developed definitions for all categories and items, which were sent to participants for revision and final voting using LimeSurvey web-based software. The resulting reporting standard consists of 68 core items and 21 supplementary items grouped into five topics (first responder system, first responder network, technology/algorithm/strategies, reporting data, and automated external defibrillators (AED)). This proposed reporting standard generated by an expert opinion group fills the gap in describing first responder systems. Its adoption in future research will facilitate comparison of systems and research outcomes, enhancing the transfer of scientific findings to clinical practice.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: ‘MPM is chair of Region of Lifesavers, shareholder of SmartResQ ApS, and received speaker honoraria from Stryker. RG is Board Director of Guidelines, European Resuscitation Council, and chair of the Task Force Education, Implementation and Teams, International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. TS is member of the editorial board, Resuscitation and Resuscitation Plus, member of the science and education committee BLS of the ERC, and member of the ILCOR social media working group. CDD is member of the editorial board of the journal Resuscitation, treasurer of the UK Resuscitation Council and ALS working group member of ILCOR. AA is a consultant with Boston Scientific, Backbeat, Biosense Webster, Cairdac, Corvia, Daiichi-Sankyo, Medtronic, Merit, Microport CRM, and Philips; received speaker fees from Daiichi-Sankyo, Boston Scientific, Biosense Webster, Medtronic, Microport CRM, and Philips; participates in clinical trials sponsored by Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Microport CRM, and Zoll Medical; and has intellectual properties assigned to Boston Scientific, Biosense Webster, and Microport CRM. TB has research, clinical and educational roles in resuscitation care, including in first responder systems. He is a member of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Ireland). EB is working group member in ESCAPE-NET and PARQ COST action. BB is treasurer of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), Chairman of the German Resuscitation Council (GRC), Member of the Advanced Life Support (ALS) Task Force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), Member of the Executive Committee of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), Founder of the “Deutsche Stiftung Wiederbelebung”, Federal Medical Advisor of the German Red Cross (DRK), Co-Editor of “Resuscitation”, Editor of the Journal “Notfall + Rettungsmedizin”, Co-Editor of the Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology. He received fees for lectures from the following companies: Forum für medizinische Fortbildung (FomF), Baxalta Deutschland GmbH, ZOLL Medical Deutschland GmbH, C.R. Bard GmbH, GS Elektromedizinische Geräte G. Stemple GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Philips GmbH Market DACH, Bioscience Valuation BSV GmbH. HJB is member of the executive committee of the German Resuscitation Council and vice chair of Region of Lifesavers. SC is member of the editorial board of the journal Resuscitation, member of the advisory board drone delivery Canada and received speaker honoraria from Zoll Medical. ED is shareholder of EVapp VZW, Belgium. DF is co-founder and operations manager of the Heartrunner Citizen Responder System, Sweden and member of the tech&ops committee of EENA (European Emergency Number Association). FLH is shareholder of FirstAED ApS, Denmark. MJ is a working group leader in the EU-funded network PARQ-COST, focusing on cardiac arrest research. JJ is CEO of the non-profit organisation Region der Lebensretter e.V. TAK is employed at Stan B.V. running the national citizen responder network HartSlagNu in the Netherlands. MK is chief medical director, Vienna Emergency Medical Service, and executive president PULS – Austrian Cardiac Arrest Association. KM is member of the editorial board of the journal Resuscitation. SO is employed at the German Red Cross and is board member of the GRC. DDS provided unpaid scientific consulting to CPRSave, a company developing a novel SAS system, and his department received a small grant from the PulsePoint Foundation to increase SAS participation in Allegheny County, PA, US. AS is vice president of the Italian Resuscitation Council (IRC). JSchwietring is chief medical director, ADAC (air rescue) LRG gGmbH. FS is chair elect, European Resuscitation Council and chair, ILCOR Social Media Working Group. PS is chair of the medical committee, Ontario Para & Summer Games and board member, Peel Paramedic Association. HLT is co-founder of PacingCure. He has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under acronym ESCAPE-NET, registered under grant agreement No 733381, and the COST Action PARQ (grant agreement No CA19137) supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). GT is employed at Resuscitec GmbH, shareholder of Resuscitec GmbH, and board member of the GRC and Region der Lebensretter. JGanter is board member of Region of Lifesavers. SV is president of EVapp NGO, and shareholder Prior-IT BV. CM, KCT, RB, MLC, RC, DD, MME, DE, MCTG, JGronewald, MH, LH, TM, KM, WMN, JSowa, RS, JU, WAW have no conflicts of interest.’.
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