GPs back mandatory defibrillators in RACGP practice standards
One respondent to the AusDoc survey said they would be 'embarrassed' if their practice could not provide a shock to a patient with shockable rhythms
Most GPs believe onsite defibrillators should become mandatory for accredited practices, an Australian Doctor poll suggests.
The RACGP says it is considering including the requirement in the next edition of its standards, which are in early stages of development.
The current edition says access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) is an “aspirational” standard.
It follows a review published this week of 126 patients with initial shockable rhythms at GP practices that found all but 47 had to wait for defibrillation by paramedics because there was no onsite AED.
