New law to require AEDs at all health care facilities

 

STATE HOUSE – A new law sponsored by Rep. Arthur Corvese and Sen. Louis P. DiPalma will soon require that all health care facilities in Rhode Island have a functioning automated external defibrillator and a person trained in its use.

Automated external defibrillators (AED) analyze a person’s heartbeat and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock to the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm. Since 2017, Rhode Island law has required public places with a capacity of 300 or more people to keep one on site, and to have at least one person trained to use it.

The legislation (2024-H 7044A), 2024-S 3124), which was approved by the General Assembly June 13 and signed by Gov. Daniel McKee last week, will ensure that health care facilities, regardless of capacity, are subject to the same requirement. The requirement takes effect Sept. 1 and includes hospitals, nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, treatment centers, school and neighborhood health centers and the like, as well as physicians’, dentists’ and other health care providers’ offices.

“AEDs absolutely save lives. Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, but health care facilities in particular should be equipped for that situation. The more AEDs that are available in places where people are, the more likely it is that people will survive cardiac arrest,” said Representative Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence), who introduced the bill after a friend experienced a near-fatal reaction to a lidocaine injection at a health care facility.  While fortunately, his friend did survive, the person went into cardiac arrest while being transported by ambulance to a hospital. That situation likely would have been fatal had the ambulance not arrived sooner, since the facility where the treatment occurred was not equipped with an AED.

Said Representative DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, Tiverton), “AEDs are easy to use and should be standard in any health care facility. Seconds matter when a person goes into cardiac arrest, and their chances of survival are vastly improved if there is an AED available.”

 

A key report shows wholesale inflation slowed last month. The July Producer Price Index shows a rise of zero-point-one percent. The PPI measures prices that businesses receive for goods and services. Economists had been expecting a slightly higher increase, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal.        Over one-point-three million people tuned into Elon Musk's conversation with former President Trump on X last night. Some technical issues delayed the conversation, but the pair still spoke for over two hours. They discussed the attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania, immigration, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the threat of global warming, and more.        Voters are heading to the polls for primary elections in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin today. In Minnesota, progressive Congresswoman Ilhan Omar will defend her seat against former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels. The contest comes after two other members of the so-called progressive "Squad," Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, lost their Democratic primaries this cycle.        Tropical Storm Ernesto isn't expected to hit the U.S. mainland as it heads up the Atlantic Ocean. Current forecasts show the storm will bring heavy rain and flooding to Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands today. The National Hurricane Center says Ernesto will then head northward and into the Atlantic.        A former Colorado clerk is facing up to 22 years in prison for election tampering. Tina Peters was convicted yesterday and will be sentenced in October. Prosecutors argued she let an unauthorized person access Mesa County's voting equipment in 2021 and make a copy of hard drives, as well as pictures of passwords, and then tried to cover it up.        U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles will not have her appeal heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said it would take away her bronze medal because of a scoring error. Monday, USA Gymnastics said in a statement that it was notified that CAS rules don't allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered.