Air Methods Enhances Patient Care and Safety with Nationwide Deployment of Zoll® AutoPulse® NXT

Devices proven to be critical in transport of cardiac patients

/EIN News/ -- GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider, is reinforcing its commitment to safety and clinical excellence by integrating the ZOLL AutoPulse® NXT automated CPR device into its community-based aircraft nationwide.

Each year, more than 600 patients transported by Air Methods require chest compressions at some point during their care. The ZOLL AutoPulse NXT will enable Air Methods clinicians to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted CPR while ensuring their own safety during flight.

"The ability to provide effective manual chest compressions while maintaining safety belts during critical phases of flight is extremely challenging—if not impossible," said Dr. Stephanie Queen, DNP, MBA, RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Air Methods. "By integrating the AutoPulse NXT across our fleet, we are enhancing our ability to deliver life-saving care while prioritizing both patient outcomes and crew safety."

The decision to adopt the ZOLL AutoPulse NXT followed rigorous evaluation and testing at 10 Air Methods bases throughout Illinois, Kentucky, Alabama, New York, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Unlike manual compressions, which can be inconsistent and physically exhausting, the AutoPulse NXT delivers continuous, high-quality CPR without interruption, ensuring a more effective resuscitation process. The device’s innovative design also eliminates the need for removal during patient loading and unloading, allowing seamless transitions while maintaining uninterrupted compressions. Furthermore, its compact size ensures compatibility with every aircraft in the Air Methods fleet, making it a practical and efficient addition to the company’s life-saving equipment.

“ZOLL is proud to partner with Air Methods on advancing resuscitation care in their fleet,” said Randy Keaney, Strategic Account Manager of ZOLL Medical. “Autopulse NXT provides high quality circumferential chest compressions to a wide patient population and can continue CPR from the scene to the ER to the Cath Lab.”

This initiative aligns with advancements in emergency cardiac care, including the increased use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and the growing need to transport patients experiencing cardiac arrest to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)-capable cardiac facilities. By deploying the AutoPulse NXT nationwide, Air Methods is ensuring that its medical teams can focus on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of cardiac arrest, rather than the physical demands of manual compressions.

Air Methods collaborated closely with ZOLL to provide direct feedback during the development of the AutoPulse NXT, which was released in 2024. The rollout of AutoPulse NXT across Air Methods bases nationwide will begin in Q2 of 2025, accompanied by training programs and resources to ensure seamless adoption among clinicians.

For photos and video of the ZOLL AutoPulse® NXT automated CPR device, click here.

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About ZOLL Medical

ZOLL, an Asahi Kasei company, develops and markets medical devices and software solutions that help advance emergency care and save lives, while increasing clinical and operational efficiencies. With products for defibrillation and cardiac monitoring, circulation enhancement and CPR feedback, supersaturated oxygen therapy, data management, ventilation, therapeutic temperature management, and sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians, EMS and fire professionals, as well as lay rescuers, improve patient outcomes in critical cardiopulmonary and respiratory conditions. For more information, visit www.zoll.com.

 

About Air Methods

Air Methods is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 100,000 people every year. With 45 years of experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. Air Methods Ascend is the company’s clinical education program, allowing critical care nurses and paramedics best-in-class training opportunities using high-fidelity mannequins, virtual reality, and cadaver labs.

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• ZOLL AutoPulse® NXT Automated CPR Device

Denisse Coffman
                    Air Methods
                    720-666-8499
                    media@airmethods.com