User & Survivor Stories

It’s simple to operate and frees up the staff

“We operate a rural setting and have five LIFE-STAT 1008 mechanical CPR units in operation, with great results. We were able to purchase units through a DHS Assistance to Firefighters Grant, under the EMS (non-hospital affiliated) category.

I did a lot of research on these devices before we selected Michigan Instruments’ device. What attracted our service the most to the LIFE-STAT CPR device was its ability to operate on our existing oxygen systems and also the fact that the only annual replacement cost we’ll have is a couple of inexpensive 9-volt batteries that I can get at the local drug store to maintain the settings in the microprocessor. Other devices on the market require you to replace disposable bands at a non-reimbursable cost of over $100 per patient. Some also recommend that you replace their batteries annually, at a cost of $500 each. With two batteries to be carried with those units, that would cost us $5,000 a year just in battery replacements for our five ambulances.

Operationally – It’s simple to operate and frees up the staff from tasks that can be done with more precision and consistency, and keeps our personnel from being in unsafe positions during transport.

Because of its design and extended arm, the LIFE-STAT can also be used on larger patients than the other devices. We didn’t want to spend money on a unit that would be restrictive on the size of the patients we could treat, particularly because of the increasing number of obese cardiac arrest patients encountered in the field today. You hardly ever see a thin cardiac arrest patient.”

Pike County EMS
556 North State Road
Petersburg, IN 47567
(812) 354.8796
mwells@pikecountyems.com

Our crews love using the Life-Stat

“We cover 465 square miles in a tourist area of Georgia. We currently deploy two LIFE-STAT mechanical CPR devices. We’ve used Michigan Instruments’ THUMPER units since 1980. Our crews love using the LIFE-STAT because it takes the guesswork out of CPR. It’s easy to apply and only takes seconds to switch over from manual to mechanical compressions, which is important in reducing time off the chest of the patient. A human can’t match the consistency of the compressions offered by the LIFE-STAT, especially in the back of a moving ambulance.

We like how the compression device stays in the appropriate position on the sternum and can be easily adjusted to fit almost any size patient. It’s consistent with the new AHA guidelines and offers a ventilator in the unit. In continuous compression mode, the ventilator automatically interposes a breath 9 times a minute. This is important to us because we’re occasionally short of staff on cardiac arrest calls and the LIFE-STAT offers us an ‘extra person.’”

Harris County EMS
PO Box 365
Hamilton, GA 31811
(706) 628.4284
harrisems@yahoo.com

Serves as an extra resource to us on emergency scenes

“We obtained a State of Florida Department of Health rural matching grant that allowed us to purchase six LIFE-STAT 1008 CPR units. We handle over 8,000 calls a year in a rural area of Florida and frequently find ourselves running cardiac and respiratory arrest calls with limited manpower. In 2005, the only hospital in our county closed, necessitating that we transport all our patients to Tallahassee for medical care. Because of these issues and our desire to perform the highest quality CPR on our patients, we decided to evaluate mechanical CPR devices for our EMS units.

We decided to purchase the LIFE-STAT 1008 not only because of its ease of operation but because it can also be utilized as a ventilator and serve as an extra resource to us on emergency scenes, allowing our crews to handle essential ACLS functions and not be tied up with airway and compression functions en route to the hospital. We also like the fact that it operates off of our existing oxygen systems and doesn’t require us to have to worry about batteries being constantly changed out or failing during life-saving emergencies.”

Gadsden County EMS
412 E. Jefferson Street
Quincy, FL 32351
(850) 933.7927
dcrum@gadsdencountyfl.gov

The Life-Stat is 100% reliable

“I have been a paramedic for 30 years. I have used and depended on the Michigan Instruments (MII) Life-Stat mechanical CPR device. It delivers perfect, consistent compressions that meet the American Heart Association (AHA) standards. Manual CPR has been proven ineffective because it is physically impossible to sustain the compression rate required by the AHA for long periods of time and you can depend on the Life-Stat to deliver perfect CPR.

The Life-Stat is 100% reliable. You can count on the device working every single time you pull it out of the bag. You never have to worry about the device. It is rugged and built so sturdy and it is virtually indestructible. The setup is fast and easy. It has a side entry arm that is adjustable to patient size. All you have to do is point the arm, dial in your settings and in less than 5 seconds the patient is receiving perfect CPR compressions leaving your hands free to start other treatments needed by the patient.

Another very important feature is the open construction. This means the Life-Stat can be used on any size patient from the extremely obese all the way down to the pediatric patient. Another very important feature is that it works on the available oxygen supply that every ambulance required is to carry. If you need to ventilate your patient you have immediate access to 100% oxygen. And there are no springs, batteries or settings to worry about.

I would recommend the Life-Stat device to any emergency department who is considering the purchase the MII’s Life-Stat CPR device. It will improve the delivery and efficiency of your CPR and once it is set up you are guaranteed perfect and consistent reproducible compressions that meet the AHA guidelines.

Once you purchase the device you never have to worry about updating the equipment to meet the AHA guidelines that change every 4-5 years. Instead of re-engineering the device every time those guidelines change, MII provides new software that is easily installed onto the Life-Stat. You are always 100% compliant with the new AHA guidelines.”

315 Ridge Drive
Mt. Holly, NC 28120
(704) 860.6562
rprice36@carolina.rr.com

Life-Stat gives us that extra pair of hands

“I am an emergency room physician at Henry Ford Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. Henry Ford is one of two hospitals that service the inner city of Detroit. We have one of the Michigan Instruments, (MII) Life-Stat Device in our ER. Henry Ford has used the MII Mechanical CPR equipment since the 1980’s and it is a valuable resource in providing consistent, accurate uninterrupted, chest compressions compliant with the American Heart Association (AHA) set rate guidelines.

With manual CPR, the fatigue factor comes into play. Even the best-trained physician or certified emergency personnel cannot provide accurate compressions at the sustainable AHA rate for more than a few minutes without tiring. The latest data proves that interrupted CPR is detrimental to the patient and diminishes their chance for survival. With the Life-Stat’s ability to consistently and accurately deliver consistent CPR for an extended period of time without interruption you can work more efficiently, provide better care and increase the patient’s chance for recovery. Another great benefit is that it the Life-Stat is adjustable and can be used on any size patient from the small child to the extremely obese.

In the emergency room where “time” is not always on your side the biggest benefit of the Life-Stat is that it gives us that extra pair of hands. Once you are trained and know how to use the device it sets up in seconds. There have been occasions during cardiac arrest when we have not started out with the Life-Stat and the situation becomes very chaotic. Once the Life-Stat is in place that is when you really notice how important the addition of the mechanical CPR device really is in providing the best care for the patient in cardiac arrest.”

Henry Ford Health System
2799 West Grand Blvd
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 916.2060
gmartin1@hfhs.org

Thumper helps increase people’s chances to survive

“I have worked for the Detroit Fire Department for several years. Our department headquarters is located in downtown Detroit, Michigan with emergency units located throughout the city. The Detroit fire department provides emergency services to the entire city of Detroit. Currently, multiple emergency units in the city are equipped with Michigan Instrument’s (MII) Thumper, a mechanical CPR device.

As a paramedic it is my opinion the MII mechanical CPR is the best equipment for the pre-hospital responders. It is a superb device and I have used the Thumper on many patients. The unit sets up quickly and within seconds frees me up to make contact with the physician over the radio, set up IV’s, administer narcotics, or intubation. The patient can be transported to the hospital delivering uninterrupted perfect CPR that meet the AHA guidelines.

The point is, in the real world, while the patient is receiving perfect compressions with the mechanical CPR device, I have the flexibility to freely react as needed in a very fast-moving situation. Following established protocols, we have helped to extend the life of many patients for transport to the nearest hospital. The Thumper helps us increase people’s chances to survive a cardiac arrest. Definitely!”

Detroit Fire Department
250 West Larned Street
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 477.7774
wilsonj4839@detroitmi.gov

Life-Stat is our main tactical lifesaving tool

“For many years I have worked in a Level 1 Trauma Center in downtown Detroit. …Good organization, the right tools and a qualified staff are critical when we have a code for cardiac arrest. …We have used the “Thumper” for many years and two years ago we upgraded to Michigan Instruments’ latest CPR device, the “Life-Stat”.

…I can set up the equipment in 30 seconds. …The Life-Stat is consistent and reliable. …the flexibility of being able to use the hands-free CPR device on our larger patients is very important. We are absolutely dependent on the Life-Stat every day.

…Most people do not realize how taxing and aerobic manual CPR is for the emergency care providers. …If we do not have the Life-Stat, we need to double our staff to rotate. …Manual CPR is physically very demanding… (and) not as effective as the Life-Stat’s consistent AHA standard of 100 beats per minute.

…The Life-Stat is our main tactical lifesaving tool in the treatment of cardiac arrest. We count on the Life-Stat every day and it consistently gives the patient the best chance for survival. …I have personally witnessed, many times, patient lives that were saved because of the Life-Stat equipment.”

Level One Trauma Center
Downtown Detroit