# 3661
While it might seem like a basic piece of information, one that some agency, somewhere, ought to have at their disposal . . . no one knows exactly how many mechanical ventilators there are in the United States.
An inevitable by product, I suppose, of a privatized medical care system.
In fact, the estimates run anywhere from 65,000 to 105,000 working ventilators in service around the country. And that is a pretty wide range. The number I’ve most often seen quoted is at the high end of that range, but it could be off by thousands.
The other oft quoted number is that 80% to 90% of our available ventilators are in use at any given time, leaving perhaps a 20% reserve capacity.
With many flu cases requiring ICU beds and ventilators, the fear is that we may run short this winter, and that ventilator triage will be necessary.
It should also be noted that you need more than just the machine, you need trained ICU nurses, and respiratory therapists, in order to run these ventilators and care for these patients.
The American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) is conducting a nationwide survey in an attempt to better answer the question:
Just how many ventilators do we have, and of what type?
A hat tip to Hawkeye on Flutrackers for these links.
US Hospitals Urged to Take Survey on Ventilator Numbers by September 10
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contracted with the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) to perform a comprehensive inventory of mechanical ventilators in every hospital in the country. A survey is being taken to gain an accurate account of the number of ventilators that would be available in the event of a nationwide pandemic.
The Office of Preparedness and Response requested this inventory information “as the nation braces for the nH1N1 virus that may affect record numbers of Americans,” according to an announcement from AARC. The announcement goes on to explain, “Initial experience shows that many individuals are placed on ventilators as a result of this flu.”
All information gained from the survey will be kept in confidence and will not be available through the Freedom of Information Act. The AARC clarifies that no relocation of ventilators will be performed as a result of this survey; the information is sought so that the government can acquire or assist in augmenting current ventilator capacity.
Information on filling out the surveys has been sent to the Manager of Respiratory Care at each hospital in the United States.
"We are urging all hospitals to immediately begin this survey," said Timothy Myers, AARC president. "We hope to have this data gathered by September 10. There is an urgency to the effort."
