Victims of congestive heart failure will soon get a less-invasive treatment on Gwinnett County ambulances thanks to donations from two Gwinnett hospitals. Gwinnett commissioners agreed to accept the contributions on Tuesday.Emergency medical technicians will now have a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device instead of inserting a breathing tube through the vocal cords in the neck, an uncomfortable procedure that risks infection. Studies show that CPAP treatment helps patients avoid more costly and potentially dangerous procedures in the hospital.
Emory Eastside Medical Center and Gwinnett Medical Center are each contributing $16,000 to Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services for the new equipment. “This is truly a win-win solution for the patients, the hospitals, and the County,” Fire and Emergency Services Chief Steve Rolader said. “Heart failure kills 53,800 Americans annually and costs the nation nearly $28 billion a year in healthcare expenses.”
Patients who arrive at a hospital with a breathing tube inserted by paramedics typically go to intensive care where their first day on a ventilator can cost $8,000 and their average stay is 6.7 days, according to Rolader.
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