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Open Ventilator Registry

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Re: Open Ventilator Registry

#21

Post by hinkley »

topbanana wrote: post #5

In practice it's much easier to move the patient to the ventilator than vice versa, and that's exactly what happens, at least in my country

So for most of the rest of the world, moving sick patients across political boundaries is going to be a hot potato nobody will touch. Autoclaving some medical equipment and dropping it off somewhere else is probably much easier.

And then there are the problems of the ridiculously huge countries, like China, the US, or Brazil, that most of the rest of the world simply fail to fathom the enormity of distance-based logistical problems. Two of the largest cities in just the contiguous United States are 4 and a half hours apart at the speed of sound, and there's a bigass mountain range in the middle that you can't fly around. And it looks like a medical helicopter would take about 3 times as long, so moving sick people is a multiple of moving equipment. Even New York City to Chicago would handily kill a patient drowning in their own fluids before they arrived, and most first world countries are wider across than that.

Re: Open Ventilator Registry

#22

Post by adinb »

jjeaff wrote: post #20
mike_d wrote: post #19

According to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the United States has more than 200,000 available ventilators. However we have less than 50,000 staff trained in mechanical ventilation that can support a maximum of 125,000 patients. Furthermore, we only have 90,000 ICU beds to put patients in. Yes the media is telling you there is a shortage, they don't understand that the problem isn't a lack of machines.

50k staff and that can only support 125k patients? So you are saying a person trained on the use of a ventilator can only support a little over 2 patients on a ventilator? Are they sitting between the beds and pedaling the machine? These are $30k machines. I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if they had too.

Not if they’re intubated; they’re very time consuming for the nursing/care staff.

Re: Open Ventilator Registry

#23

Post by mike_d »

jjeaff wrote: post #20
mike_d wrote: post #19

According to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the United States has more than 200,000 available ventilators. However we have less than 50,000 staff trained in mechanical ventilation that can support a maximum of 125,000 patients. Furthermore, we only have 90,000 ICU beds to put patients in. Yes the media is telling you there is a shortage, they don't understand that the problem isn't a lack of machines.

50k staff and that can only support 125k patients? So you are saying a person trained on the use of a ventilator can only support a little over 2 patients on a ventilator? Are they sitting between the beds and pedaling the machine? These are $30k machines. I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if they had too.

> So you are saying a person trained on the use of a ventilator can only support a little over 2 patients on a ventilator?

As I mentioned in the comment you replied to, the numbers are from the SCCM. You aren't going to find a more authoritative source for accurate information.

> I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if they had too

If you don't believe the SCCM, California law and the California Respiratory Care Board set the requirement as "a ratio of 1:4 or fewer each shift."

Short of a Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machine (basically a mechanical heart), invasive ventilation is one of the most intensive "intensive care" treatments, requiring constant monitoring and adjustment.

Re: Open Ventilator Registry

#25

Post by jjeaff »

mike_d wrote: post #23
jjeaff wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

50k staff and that can only support 125k patients? So you are saying a person trained on the use of a ventilator can only support a little over 2 patients on a ventilator? Are they sitting between the beds and pedaling the machine? These are $30k machines. I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if they had too.

> So you are saying a person trained on the use of a ventilator can only support a little over 2 patients on a ventilator? As I mentioned in the comment you replied to, the numbers are from the SCCM. You aren't going to find a more authoritative source for accurate information. > I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if t…

Im sure 1 to 4 is best case and best practice. In an emergency, I guarantee someone can and will handle more.

Additionally, the 1 to 4 ratio doesn't match with the 50k number.

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