Medical transport company Life Force has announced its newest capability: offering high flow oxygen therapy to patients during air medical transports. They are the first air medical team in the state of Tennessee to offer this therapy.
High flow oxygen therapy, primarily used in a hospital setting, helps reduce the need for invasive ventilation. This method of oxygen delivery has been proven very effective and allows patients to receive oxygen while reducing strain on their body to support healing.
In recent years, more patients have been placed on this type of oxygen therapy in hospitals, with studies showing the therapy as beneficial while remaining noninvasive.
This oxygen therapy is typically delivered via a high flow nasal cannula, bridging the gap between traditional noninvasive and invasive methods. The process is proven to be effective in improving gas exchange and decreasing the patient’s work of breathing with the goal of patient improvement without mechanical ventilation.
“The ability to offer this advanced therapy that was previously only available inside the hospital setting will greatly benefit our community by providing the right care during a critical time,” says Robbie Tester, senior director of Life Force. “We are excited to be able to provide this higher level of care to our community and look forward to continuing to expand our capabilities.”
This therapy is delivered onboard Life Force helicopters by combining a transport ventilator with a humidifier. This combination of devices provides the same functionality as those utilized in the hospital.
This new therapy will allow the transport of patients who require oxygen flow rates greater than 15 liters-per-minute in cases of hypoxemia, or below-normal oxygen in the blood, caused by various disease processes such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory syncytial virus, COVID, pneumonia, bronchitis, pulmonary diseases such as COPD, or congestive heart failure.
Source: Life Force
Welcome Home launches end-of-life support
Welcome Home of Chattanooga is starting a new support group for those who have received a terminal diagnosis or are facing death soon. The group is open to the public and can be attended Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m., 3131 Quiet Creek Trail or via Zoom.
The program will create a safe space for people to talk about their feelings, hopes, and concerns in a safe and welcoming environment.
The group will be facilitated by Welcome Home of Chattanooga’s education director, Judith Pedersen-Benn, who has experience working with hospice and leading support groups. She says the new program will be unique to the Chattanooga area.
“The idea to form a support group started because a woman, who is likely facing the end of her life, wanted to talk to someone about the process of death,” says Pedersen-Benn. “What we found is that there are a lot of support groups for people facing specific diseases like cancer, but none for people who are facing a terminal illness or end-of-life.”
The support program is an extension of Welcome Home’s education series, “Demystifying Death.” The goal of “Demystifying Death” is to provide the community an opportunity to learn and talk about death, dying, and grief to be more comfortable with a natural topic that has become taboo in society.
The series includes monthly community events, an eight-week course in the spring in partnership with UTC’s Center for Professional Education, and a conference in the fall.
More information can be found at welcomehomeofchattanooga.org.
Source: Welcome Home of Chattanooga