Emergence of Covid-19 Boosts Demand for Respiratory Devices in Healthcare Sector

Posted by Ajinkya on March 15th, 2021

Most modern respiratory devices possess the ability to seamlessly adjust both exhalations and inspirations for the patient's unique respiratory requirements. Most advanced respiratory devices also come in an incredible assortment of variations such as extended-care respiratory devices, motorized extended care respironics, home respironics, and hospital/institute respiratory services equipment. The most common types of respiratory devices are personal assistive respiratory equipment (PARE), home medical respironics, in-home care units, oxygen therapies, and hospital/institute surgical respiratory equipment. In addition, different types of respiratory assistance can be personalized with many additional options. One example is the use of a BiPAP machine that can deliver higher pressures than conventional nose-and-mouth methods to achieve sleep apnea solutions for those who suffer from the disorder.

Many patients today suffer from a variety of conditions that result in decreased lung function, such as Covid-19 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep apnea. COPD can eventually cause irreversible damage to the lungs and can quickly lead to death if left untreated. Sleep apnea, on the other hand, negatively impacts millions of people around the world each year. The disorder occurs when the individual stops breathing for short periods of time, which can often be several seconds or minutes. Sleep apnea sufferers typically stop breathing several times per night, which results in a build-up of carbon dioxide and excess nitrogen dioxide in the bloodstream. Carbon dioxide and excess nitrogen dioxide cause a flushing of the kidneys and the nose, as well as dryness of the throat, which further impede breathing.

The use of respiratory devices is essential to improving the quality of life and comfort of patients with these conditions. However, poorly chosen respiratory devices may result in serious, even fatal, consequences. For this reason, it is vital that field safety notice requirements to be followed when operating mechanical ventilators and similar therapeutic devices. In order to ensure the greatest benefit to patients, it is recommended that field operators receive training in the use and maintenance of the ventilator. This training helps ensure that patients receive the highest possible level of care, as well as allow field operators to perform the necessary tasks to keep patients comfortable.

Because the precision of many mechanical ventilation and therapeutic respiratory devices is critical to patient safety and comfort, field operators must also have an understanding of the wide-range of therapeutic equipment on the market. While it is recommended that field operators obtain prior training regarding the most commonly used therapeutic devices, there are other important pieces of information that should be considered when selecting the best respiratory devices. A review of the most popular therapeutic devices on the market will help field operators to make more informed decisions.

One of the most important pieces of information that should be reviewed when determining the most appropriate respiratory devices is the current state of research studies regarding the devices. Although no two patients' compliance with therapeutic respiratory devices is identical, it is important for field operators to consider patients' compliance with therapeutic devices in light of their own personal clinical experiences. Asking patients for input about the effectiveness of different respiratory devices and the current state of research studies is one way for field operators to ensure they are choosing the most effective devices in place.

Another important piece of information to review when making the selection of a respiratory device is the current state of research studies regarding the device. Most manufacturers will conduct some type of clinical trial in order to support their product. Depending upon a manufacturer's ability to successfully conduct clinical trials, the manufacturer may require that field operators supply them with a 'case history form' in order to facilitate the company's investigation. If a field operator fails to provide the company with the case history form, the manufacturer may refuse to import the device or offer a lower price based upon the results of the clinical trials.

Once a device is approved by the FDA, it can be sold for clinical practice. Many devices, however, are sold based upon temporary necessity only and therefore will not be used on patients with chronic respiratory diseases. This is especially important to remember when purchasing LRT devices. These devices were not designed for use on patients with chronic respiratory diseases and therefore cannot perform according to established standards of care.

Efficacy is the final factor that must be considered before purchasing a device. As was mentioned previously, the effectiveness of many devices is based upon the experience of individual patients. Therefore, a patient's experience in using a particular LRT device is the single most important factor in determining whether the device will be an effective means of achieving optimal patient benefits. Field operators must be able to determine the effectiveness of a device by using a variety of techniques, such as a pulmonary arterial physiology study, a spirometry study, a rib cage biopsy, and a bronchial inflation procedure. If a field operator determines that a particular LRT is ineffective in improving a patient's breathing, then the device will not be approved for clinical practice.

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