ASHI vs. AHA - "Get The Facts"

The American Safety & Health Institute (ASHI) Facts vs. the American Heart Association (AHA) “Gold Standard” perception.

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) was formed in 1992 to provide a forum for liaison between resuscitation organizations worldwide. It is the task of this committee to decide, scientifically, the best way to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The American Heart Association (AHA) serves as the American liaison to this committee and is therefore responsible for bringing back and reporting the agreed upon guidelines to the country for training and education purposes. These guidelines are then adopted by several groups or organizations, which ultimately develop their own curriculum or ways to teach CPR. The three major groups involved in the adaptation and development of this CPR curriculum include AHA, American Red Cross (ARC) and American Safety & Health Institute (ASHI).

Acting as a liaison, it is clear that the AHA neither posses the power to accredit, approve or recognize the curriculum developed by these other groups (other than their own), nor does not have the authority to deem one organization’s curriculum better the next (including their own). Therefore, it does not mean that certification from other organizations is not valid or does not meet CPR guidelines standards, but rather, by conforming to the Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) guidelines of what to teach, provided by the AHA as a liaison to ILCOR, other organizations can provide an effective and comparable teaching method to that of the AHA.

ASHI training programs meet the most current International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) guidelines and the American Heart Association (AHA) ECC, CPR, and First Aid Guidelines. ASHI training programs also meet the most current recommendations of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Standards for First Aid and CPR training of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education.

HSI is a nationally accredited organization of the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS). CECBEMS is the national accrediting body for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) continuing education courses and course providers. CECBEMS accreditation requires an evidence-based peer-review process for continuing education programs comparable to all healthcare accreditors. ASHI basic and advanced life support training programs for healthcare providers are CECBEMS approved.

In addition to meeting these global standards, an ASHI and MEDIC First Aid representative participated in the 2010 International Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science with Treatment Recommendations, hosted by the AHA. An ASHI and MEDIC First Aid representative was a volunteer member of the AHA and American Red Cross 2010 International First Aid Science Advisory Board and a contributor to the 2010 Consensus on First Aid Science and Treatment Recommendations.

Download the latest ASHI Basic and Professional training program fact sheet by clicking the links to the right.