Multi-centre implementation of an Educational program to improve the Cardiac Arrest diagnostic accuracy of ambulance Telecommunicators and survival outcomes for sudden cardiac arrest victims: the EduCATe study design and methodology.

Background: Sudden cardiac death remains a leading cause of mortality in Canada, resulting in more than 35,000 deaths annually. Most cardiac arrest victims collapse in their own home (85% of the time) and 50% are witnessed by a family member or bystander. Survivors have a quality of life similar to the general population, but the overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) rarely exceeds 8%.