Offering prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) at home may be feasible and financially beneficial for some COVID-19 patients, according to a report in the February issue of JAMDA, the journal of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
The study involved 120 PMV patients aged 18 and older, all insured by the same HMO. It found that the at-home PMV patients, who tended to be younger, were more alert, better able to communicate, reported less depression, and had improved functional status. They also had lower six-month mortality rates, less frequency of pressure ulcers and there were no differences in infection rates vs. PMV patients in LTC settings.
The authors noted that nearly half a million patients receive PMV annually at a cost of more than $35 billion. With COVID-19 putting a substantial burden on hospitals and other healthcare settings, there is tremendous interest in providing care services at home whenever possible.
