Respiratory compromise is the second-most frequently occurring preventable patient safety issue and causes higher mortality rates, longer hospital and ICU stays, and millions of healthcare dollars every single year. It is the third most rapidly increasing hospital inpatient cost in the United States. Respiratory compromise consists of respiratory insufficiency, distress, arrest, and failure.
In a special roundtable discussion to be hosted by the National Association for Medical Direction of Respiratory Care (NAMDRC), healthcare leaders from pulmonary medicine and related fields will review and discuss how to reduce the risk of respiratory compromise.
“Patients admitted to acute care hospitals for a variety of reasons are often at risk for worsening respiratory function that can progress to respiratory failure and poor outcomes,” explained Dennis E. Doherty, MD (President, NAMDRC, Professor, University of Kentucky College of Medicine). “By bringing together key healthcare leaders, we will discuss whether we are missing opportunities to intervene in order to prevent respiratory failure.”
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety recently established the Respiratory Compromise Institute (RCI) to leverage industry thought leaders and clinical teams to develop the tools and encourage the research needed to make the changes necessary to save lives from respiratory compromise.
Describing RCI as a broad-based coalition of organizations, companies, and individuals, Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety) said, “The goal of RCI is to reduce —and eventually eliminating—preventable adverse events and deaths due to respiratory depression.”