Trauma Centers, Cath Centers, Stroke Centers, and Now “Cardiac Arrest Receiving Centers?”

Investigators analyzed electronic health records for patients treated at hospitals near Pittsburgh from 2010 to 2014 to assess whether survival after nontraumatic cardiac arrest is associated with receiving care at a “cardiac arrest receiving center.” The definition of “cardiac arrest receiving center” was created by the researchers. Rather than using a single definition, they conceptualized this as a hospital that cares for victims of cardiac arrest frequently and receives transferred cardiac arrest victims from other hospitals. The researchers varied the definition in an exploratory manner, by applying different cutoffs for what constituted “frequently,” with respect to cases managed and transfers received. The main outcome measure was su…