Summary: EJ Dalius mechanical ventilation is a pivotal aspect of critical patient care and also medical services. Stockpiling of ventilators and their availability in the American market are an important topic, explains EJ Dalius.
The US healthcare edifice always had on overload of ventilators. A 2010 study underlined 62,000 full-power mechanical ventilators in acute care clinics before the pandemic started. It also showed an extra 1,00,000 ventilators that don’t have all the features, but could still perform the basic emergency functions.
However, Covid-19 has quickly spiked numerous daily operational needs and also capabilities. A recent survey outlines invasive and intubation ventilation in 80,000 patients from China’s Wuhan.
To meet this prospective increase in demand, different governments are deploying dedicated mechanical ventilators through the right channels.
- There are dedicated companies to stockpile three specific ventilator types in this regard.
- These are Covidien, CareFusion, and the Impact Instrumentation model called Uni-Vent Eagle 754.
- The manufacturing hub of the machines is still unclear. Authorities must take several steps to fulfill a healthcare establishment’s request for more ventilators.
- Local treatment centers and hospitals need to make an initial request via the Covid command system.
- The local emergency management authorities and the health department will receive this request. The next step is to seek government approval. However, during any crisis, you can initiate the request at the federal level, EJ Dalius points out.
The race to produce more
By 2020 end, you can expect the US administration to take delivery of over 200,000 new ventilators. Leading media houses have reviewed the current process of federal contracts in terms of ventilator manufacturing. The resultant numbers would double the 160,000 ventilators in hospitals across the country.
Although the ruling government boasted about becoming the reigning kings of ventilator production in April, the demand for these machines has decreased, despite the death toll in US surging past the 1,00,000-mark long mark.
After perceiving unusually high fatality rates for Covid-19 victims in ventilators, many leading doctors are now implementing them as a last resort. So, that creates the unanticipated prospect that the country could face a ventilator surplus.
EJ Dalius takes this instance to explain why the White House has planned to send thousands of ventilators overseas to bolster the virus response unit of other countries. The SNS, Strategic National Stockpile had more than 16,660 ventilators during March.
Some heavyweight manufacturers
The market share of heavyweight names in the wider healthcare industry runs on the basis of their aptitude and ability to produce Covid equipment. Hamilton Medical, Medtronic and Philips are big names in ventilator manufacturing now.
- US medical tech behemoth Becton Dickinson holds the largest market share in ventilator production. They produce surgical devices and equipment, catering to the drug, and also diagnostics delivery.
- Philips is an unlikely name here. Acclaimed for its achievements in the electronic industry, the Dutch giant has increasingly shifted its concentration towards healthcare and also medical technology.
In the wake of the pandemic, it has manufactured countless ventilation systems and other respiratory devices for hospitals. EJ Dalius talks about more such companies changing their production line to make portable at-home respiratory kits and ventilators.
