Eleven years ago, my life took an unexpected turn. A sudden cardiac arrest brought everything to a standstill. By the grace of quick action and skilled medical professionals, I survived. But survival was just the beginning. The journey of recovery that followed was filled with challenges – physical limitations, cognitive fog, and an overwhelming sense of navigating a new reality. Through it all, the support of my family, friends, and the medical team was invaluable. It also highlighted the critical role of peer support, ultimately leading to the founding of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK.
Connecting with others who had been through similar experiences provided a sense of understanding and hope that was truly transformative. As we continue our work, a question remains: Could artificial Intelligence (AI) offer a new support dimension for fellow survivors and their co-survivors?
Many of us who have experienced a sudden cardiac arrest often grapple with a feeling of isolation, a sense that others who haven’t walked this path can’t truly comprehend the multifaceted challenges we face. AI has the potential to bridge some of these gaps, offering readily available and personalised support that complements the crucial human connections we already rely on. It’s also vital to remember those who step in to help during a cardiac arrest; often, these co-survivors, especially those who perform CPR, can experience significant trauma and may feel like the “forgotten patient” in the aftermath.
Post-Discharge Care: A Critical Gap
While significant strides have been made in the immediate treatment of sudden cardiac arrest, the landscape of post-discharge care in the UK often leaves survivors and their families feeling adrift. Despite the best efforts of healthcare professionals, the reality is that the quality and availability of rehabilitation and follow-up services can vary considerably depending on where you live.
This “postcode lottery” means that some survivors receive comprehensive support, including physical rehabilitation and psychological assistance, while others are discharged with minimal guidance. The Resuscitation Council UK has rightly highlighted this issue in its new Quality Standards for Care and Rehabilitation of Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Key Supporters, which aim to ensure a minimum level of care and support for everyone affected, regardless of their location.
These standards recognise survivors’ diverse and complex needs, encompassing physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being, and importantly, they also acknowledge the significant impact on co-survivors. It’s crucial to recognise the significant hurdles survivors face. Research indicates that a substantial proportion of individuals experience ongoing difficulties such as mild cognitive impairment, physical limitations, persistent fatigue, and emotional problems like anxiety and depression.
Furthermore, unlike conditions such as stroke or heart attack, there isn’t a clearly defined and consistently applied formal care pathway specifically for sudden cardiac arrest survivors across the United Kingdom. This can leave individuals and their families feeling unsupported as they navigate the complexities of recovery. The emotional and psychological impact on both survivors and their co-survivors is often underestimated. The constant fear of another event, coupled with the potential for anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress, can be incredibly challenging and may not always be adequately addressed within the current post-discharge care framework.
The Promise of AI: A New Approach to Post-Discharge Support
In this context, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare offers a glimmer of hope. While still in its early stages, AI shows immense potential as a transformative tool across various medical fields. Notably, research highlighted in the New England Journal of Medicine AI suggests the effectiveness of AI-powered therapy chatbots in providing mental health support. A clinical trial demonstrated that a generative AI chatbot significantly reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders in participants.
This is particularly relevant for sudden cardiac arrest survivors, as many experience anxiety and depression during their recovery. The chatbot in the trial also fostered a strong “therapeutic alliance” with users, indicating a level of trust and engagement. This success in mental health support opens up exciting possibilities for how AI could assist sudden cardiac arrest survivors and their co-survivors.
Imagine AI providing readily accessible information and answering many questions during recovery – from understanding medications and ICDs to navigating the emotional aftermath. AI could offer personalised coping strategies for anxiety and fear, potentially acting as a virtual companion during moments of distress.
Furthermore, AI-powered platforms could facilitate connections between survivors and co-survivors, fostering peer support networks and a sense of community. Simple yet crucial applications like appointment reminders, medication schedules, and self-care activities could also be managed effectively through AI.
There is even potential for AI to assist with cognitive rehabilitation exercises, helping survivors address memory and concentration challenges. The beauty of AI lies in its potential to be a relatively low-cost, quick, and easy-to-implement solution that can help bridge the existing gaps in support. It can offer a level of personalisation and round-the-clock availability that traditional systems might find challenging to deliver, especially for those in remote areas or with limited access to specialist services.
Practical Support in the Digital Age: How AI Can Help
AI could also offer significant practical support. For instance, navigating the rules around DVLA and driving after a cardiac arrest can be confusing. An AI-powered app could guide survivors through the specific regulations based on their circumstances, such as whether they had an angioplasty or have an ICD fitted, drawing on official guidelines. Similarly, accessing benefits can be a daunting process. An AI tool could help survivors identify the benefits they might be eligible for, such as Universal Credit, PIP, or ESA, and provide links to the relevant government resources. For those looking to return to work, an AI assistant could offer advice on discussing their condition with employers, understanding their rights under the Equality Act, and exploring resources like the Access to Work scheme.
A Need for Speed
As a former IT professional, I’ve seen the power of agile practices in rapidly delivering valuable solutions. Traditional approaches to developing support systems can be lengthy. Agile methodologies are often used in software to break down complex projects into smaller, iterative steps, allowing quicker releases and continuous improvement based on user feedback. A key concept within agile is the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This means launching a basic version of our AI support tool with just enough features to be helpful to survivors and co-survivors. This allows us to get something into the hands of those who need it quickly, addressing the urgent lack of post-discharge care. We can continuously add and refine features based on real-world feedback, ensuring the AI support meets our community’s evolving needs.
The Slowness of Traditional Solutions
Historically, the development and implementation of comprehensive support systems for sudden cardiac arrest survivors have often progressed at a frustratingly slow pace. While the recent publication of the Resuscitation Council UK’s Quality Standards marks a significant and welcome step forward, born from the dedicated efforts of medical professionals and individuals with lived experience, innovative approaches are needed to ensure these guidelines translate into tangible support for survivors and co-survivors in their daily lives. AI could accelerate this progress by offering scalable and adaptable solutions that complement the framework provided by the standards. The standards themselves emphasise the need for comprehensive pre-discharge assessments, tailored rehabilitation plans, and ongoing support for survivors and their key supporters. AI-powered tools could assist in delivering some aspects of this care, such as providing information resources tailored to individual needs identified during assessments, offering prompts and encouragement for adherence to rehabilitation plans, and even facilitating access to support networks.
The Importance of Lived Experience
However, the development of any AI-driven support system must be guided by the invaluable insights of those who have lived through a sudden cardiac arrest and their co-survivors. Only those with firsthand experience genuinely understand the unique challenges, fears, and needs that arise during the recovery journey. Survivors and co-survivors must be actively involved in designing, developing, and testing any AI tools to support them. This ensures that these tools are technically sound, empathetic, relevant, and genuinely helpful in addressing the real-world complexities of life after a cardiac arrest. While AI offers exciting possibilities, it is vital to remember that it should augment, not replace, human connection and the irreplaceable value of peer support. The understanding and empathy gained from speaking with someone who has “been there” are immeasurable. AI could enhance these connections by more effectively facilitating online forums, connecting survivors and co-survivors with similar experiences, or even identifying individuals who might benefit from reaching out to a peer.
Readily Available AI
The good news is that the technological landscape is rapidly evolving, making powerful AI tools increasingly accessible. These readily available systems could be potential platforms for developing and deploying AI-driven support solutions for sudden cardiac arrest survivors and co-survivors. These technologies are becoming increasingly user-friendly, making integration into existing support structures possible. The rapid advancements and widespread accessibility of AI make this an opportune moment to explore its potential to make a real difference in the lives of those affected by SCA.
Conclusion
The prospect of AI support for sudden cardiac arrest survivors and co-survivors holds immense potential to transform post-discharge care in the UK. However, this is just the beginning of the conversation. The input, experiences, and ideas of the sudden cardiac arrest survivor and co-survivor community are essential to guide the development of these technologies in a way that genuinely meets their needs.
We encourage you to share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas in the comments below.
What specific needs could AI address?
Do you have any concerns or hesitations about using AI in this context?
For co-survivors, what kind of support would you find most helpful?
Your voice is crucial in shaping the future of support for our community.
After our first meet-up in February 2015, I realised I was not alone. It was the first time since my cardiac arrest the previous year that I had spoken face-to-face with someone who had experienced what I had. This was also true for my wife, who also happened to be my lifesaver. From that meet-up, the idea of SCA UK was born. Since then, we have achieved a considerable amount, primarily providing information, resources and support to others in a similar situation but also raising the profile of survivorship and the need for better post-discharge care. We are starting to get traction in this, and with the formation of the charity, I genuinely believe we have a bright future ahead and will make a significant difference in the lives of many who join our ranks.
Most of the issues surrounding people post SCA are psychological. Psychological support is an empathetic process. AI is a machine and it doesn’t feel, software is unemotional so how can a machine be empathetic.
Absolutely, human connections should always be paramount, nothing will replace being able to speak with someone who has been there and done it, and getting support from medical professionals is equally important. But, we know the system is far from perfect and this is to compliment them, and temporarily fill the gapping holes in survivorship support
Perhaps AI could be an “intelligent search tool” to signpost to safe, reliable and curated peer experiences. The survivor or co-survivor will have many questions and may not be very concise in expressing their questions in a form that matches the structure or index of the body of references and experiences that SCA UK has now at hand .
This is the reply of ChatGPT4o to your questions Part 1
⚠️ What are the risks of relying on tech for emotional support?
While technology—like chatbots, AI companions, or virtual communities—can offer accessible, round-the-clock support, relying too heavily on tech poses real risks. Emotional recovery after cardiac arrest is deeply personal, and survivors often experience PTSD, anxiety, and a profound identity shift. Algorithms may miss subtle cues, oversimplify complex emotions, or offer generic responses. This can lead to feelings of misunderstanding or even isolation. Tech should support, not replace, human relationships—especially when trust, empathy, and shared lived experience are crucial.
⚙️ Can machines ever truly understand the survivor experience? Part 2
Not fully. Machines can be trained to simulate understanding—analyze language, detect distress, or provide educational guidance—but the survivor journey after cardiac arrest involves layers of fear, gratitude, guilt, and resilience that are shaped by personal history and human connection. Lived experience can’t be downloaded. While AI can help bridge gaps (like connecting survivors to support groups or flagging red flags for mental health), true understanding still lives in the hearts of peers, clinicians, and loved ones who listen without judgment.
💬 How do we keep the human touch at the heart of recovery? Part 3
By making sure that technology enhances—not replaces—the human relationship. That means: Training healthcare teams to listen, validate, and guide survivors and families with empathy.
This is my human response 😁
AI tools are an incredible resource for the future. The key will be to use them responsibly and correctly, with ethical training methods and appropriate usage. If we think about mobile phones or cars, they are extraordinary tools that have completely changed the way we live. However, if used improperly, they can become dangerous.
Symbiosis and collaboration with AI tools can be potentially very useful, provided there is proper training and no private interests driving their development. Most AI tools at the moment are business-oriented. Public investment is needed to ensure transparency and proper management of personal data.