Chennai, Nov 28: The Academy for Clinical Training (TACT), a division of Utopian Healthcare Pvt Ltd, has roped in the American Heart Association (AHA) to train doctors and paramedical staff on emergency care during cardiac arrest.

A two-member team of volunteers from AHA are in TACT clinic at Anna Nagar to provide a range of Basic and Advanced Life Support courses for the medical fraternity. Formed in January 2007, the clinical training centre is the brainchild of Dr. N. Ramakrishnan who is also the director of Critical Care Services of Apollo Hospitals.

Michael Murrow and Sherrie Wislon , consultants are AHA, have trained 18 Basic and 15 Advanced Life Support instructors , six faculty for both courses, 50 BLS providers and 40 ALS providers at the TACT clinic. “We are the first simulation-based training centre in India offering hands-on courses for life saving skills during critical and emergency situations like cardiac arrest and lung problems.” Claimed Dr. Ramakrishnan, founder –MD, TACT.

The clinic offered standardized courses that were designed to suit the target learners , including doctors, nurses and the public. “Our mission is to train lives to save lives through a multilayered programmes. But we are not providing first aid type of intervention, but CPR (Cardio pulmonary resuscitation) – level skills to the trainees,” he explained . TACT has the expertise to each at least 30-35 people a day and through its Sim-Man – a mannequin simulating a patient – could teach real life , emergency care for a range of heart problems.

Besides courses affiliated to AHA, training centre for healthcare professionals had diverse courses in acute and emergency care like ventilation , IV Cannulation and dialysis techniques. AHA courses in tackling heart attacks focus on practical scenarios and enabled the healthcare people to reach our to sudden victims efficiently through adept skills gained through hands-on experience, said Michael Murrow and Sherrie Wilson. The US based apex body has tied up with 12 firms across major cites in India to lend its expertise on life saving skills.

TACT with Sim-Man was hopeful of attracting more public and the doctors to its practical courses on emergency skills. Ramakrishnan said the patient simulator was imported for Laerdal of Norway which has provided a research grant to the clinical institute.

For enrolling in Basic Life Support courses, Rs. 2,000 is charged for doctors and Rs.1,500 is levied for Advanced Life Support training which is open only for doctors.

All the courses are taught within a day and AHA recognized certificates were issued for the trainees at the end of the session. For more information , contact : TACT at phone numbers : 4202 6644; 2621 8228