A friend who's a practicing physician in one of the largest hospitals in LA mentioned that there's one thing we need to address in light of the covid19 pandemic:
vent farms
Because sooner or later, we'll have to talk about what to do with them as the CA case load increases.
vent farms
Because sooner or later, we'll have to talk about what to do with them as the CA case load increases.
Usually, when a person goes into a coma, they move them from the ER to a sub-acute unit. Although a fraction might recover, there are special units where no one does.
These are called “vent farms,” shorthand for the ventilators that keep the neurologically-devastated breathing.
These are called “vent farms,” shorthand for the ventilators that keep the neurologically-devastated breathing.
They were created by the state over 20 years ago to get life-supported comatose patients out of more expensive hospital beds. Now, 125 subacute units operate across the state. 14 are just for children.
Medi-Cal (CA's Medicaid) pays for most subacute care - as much as $900 a day.
Medi-Cal (CA's Medicaid) pays for most subacute care - as much as $900 a day.
None of the 4,000 patients will ever regain consciousness.
In 2013, the total cost to the state of California alone came to more than $636 million a year.
These patients are unresponsive, save for the fact that they occasionally seize and get pneumonias.
In 2013, the total cost to the state of California alone came to more than $636 million a year.
These patients are unresponsive, save for the fact that they occasionally seize and get pneumonias.
Doctors, afraid of lawsuits or pressured by families, oblige.
The system default is to keep people alive at all cost - it won’t let you die without your written permission.
If the government weren’t paying the bill, these patients wouldn’t be living this way for so long.
The system default is to keep people alive at all cost - it won’t let you die without your written permission.
If the government weren’t paying the bill, these patients wouldn’t be living this way for so long.
My doctor friend says that CA hospitals need to triage now to prepare for the reality of covid19.
They need to free up vents and nurses to avoid shunting resources away from people who can recover and be productive to those who are merely kept breathing by the machines.
They need to free up vents and nurses to avoid shunting resources away from people who can recover and be productive to those who are merely kept breathing by the machines.
