CDF funded the purchase of four Airvo 2 humidifiers to White Plains Hospital in 2020. Airvo 2 Humidifiers are used to administer Optiflow™ High Flow Therapy, also known as high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen delivery, to patients in respiratory distress or with respiratory illnesses. According to the White Plains Hospital Director of Respiratory Care Services, Lyn Harper MPA, BSRT, RRT, AE-C, the equipment is useful in avoiding endotracheal intubation and preventing re-intubation of patients as well as increasing overall patient comfort when receiving HFNC.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, HFNC oxygen delivery was recognized as a treatment by the World Health Organization for respiratory failure caused by COVID-19. During the first half of 2021, approximately 2,500 patients at White Plains Hospital were given HFNC administered with the Airvo 2 Humidifiers.
There are 38 full-time employees on the Respiratory Care Services Team at White Plains Hospital. “There is a lot to be said about the ability to make patients comfortable and that impact on our team. HFNC with the Airvo 2 Humidifiers are so much less invasive than other modalities of treatment, allowing the patient to eat and speak. The ability to offer this treatment has been overwhelmingly positive for our staff,” says Harper.
The addition of the Airvo 2 Humidifies at White Plains Hospital has allowed their medical staff to treat patients with HFNC rather than intubation. In the past, the patient may have been immediately intubated and placed on a ventilator which prohibits speaking and eating. Endotracheal intubation may also cause additional mild or serious side effects. A person who has been intubated can experience a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, or regions of inflammation in the face or neck. Damage or perforation of the lung during intubation can lead to lung collapse in certain people. With the Airvo 2 Humidifiers, patients can often be rehabilitated without going on a ventilator avoiding these potential side effects and resulting in a positive impact on patient care.