{"id":75393,"date":"2020-04-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news-draft\/uncategorized\/ventilatorproject-org-r-i-commerce-corp-uri-mount-effort-to-collect-sleep-apnea-machines-for-pandemic-fight\/"},"modified":"2020-04-14T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T00:00:00","slug":"ventilatorproject-org-r-i-commerce-corp-uri-mount-effort-to-collect-sleep-apnea-machines-for-pandemic-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2020\/04\/ventilatorproject-org-r-i-commerce-corp-uri-mount-effort-to-collect-sleep-apnea-machines-for-pandemic-fight\/","title":{"rendered":"VentilatorProject.Org, R.I. Commerce Corp., 溏心vlog免费B站 mount effort to collect sleep apnea machines for pandemic fight"},"content":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. — April 14, 2020 — VentilatorProject.Org has joined the Rhode Island Commerce Corp., the 溏心vlog免费B站, the Rhode Island Department of Health, fire stations and other hospital and industry partners across the state to collect and refurbish sleep apnea machines to serve as supplementary equipment to hospitals that are treating patients affected by COVID-19.<\/p>\n

As states struggle with limited supplies of ventilators for patients in intensive care units as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the partners came together quickly to support and assist Gov. Gina Raimondo\u2019s efforts to<\/strong> provide additional respiratory equipment that could be used by hospitals to address this respiratory crisis.<\/p>\n

The newly formed VentilatorProject.Org<\/a>, led by Alex Hornstein in Providence, is made up of a committed group of volunteers, including engineers, designers, technologists and doctors. VentilatorProject.Org has been coordinating with doctors around the world to collect, vet and document innovative uses of these machines in hospitals as they treat COVID-19 patients without exposing health care workers to aerosolized virus.<\/p>\n

\"Tao<\/a>
UNDER EXAMINATION: Tao Wei, associate professor of electrical, computer and biomedical engineering, examines a CPAP machine, as the Ballroom and Gallery of 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Memorial union are transformed into space to reconfigure CPAP and BiPAP machines for COVID-19 patients. Wei is overseeing the operation at the union. 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Steer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSince we started in mid-March, our team has grown to 60 volunteers who have been working around the clock to understand the needs of doctors and hospitals, researching and testing technology as it becomes available, designing this donation drive, and coordinating with medical professionals and innovative public servants.\u00a0 It\u2019s amazing how friends, neighbors and talented strangers around the world have quickly come together to rise to this great challenge that faces us all. Our tight-knit community in the nation\u2019s smallest state has been a great asset, allowing us to quickly and effectively reach and work with key COVID-19 responders across our state,\u201d Hornstein said.<\/p>\n

According to industry statistics, VentilatorProject.Org models that of the 8.5 million sleep apnea machines in homes in America, 2.9 million of those CPAPs and BiPAP machines are not in use. These extra machines could be donated by willing owners, refurbished and brought to hospitals to help provide additional respiratory equipment and give doctors the flexibility to free up time on the hospital ventilators.\u00a0 The team estimates that 9,000 such machines are available in Rhode Island.<\/p>\n

The big question being asked of Rhode Islanders by the Community CPAP\/BiPAP drive is, \u201cDo you have an extra CPAP\/BiPAP machine in your home to help our hospitals during this crisis?\u201d State residents can donate new or used units to support hospitals as they work with patients affected by COVID-19.<\/p>\n

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Memorial Union. 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Steer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are the key steps in the process that begins this week:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Drop off your machine at collection centers at fire departments across the state. \u00a0 Please do not donate your machine if you are currently using it or if it is still owned by your insurance company.<\/li>\n
  2. Your machine will be brought to a processing center at the 溏心vlog免费B站, where technical volunteers from across the University will work to sanitize, test, document and refurbish the machines under the oversight of Tao Wei, 溏心vlog免费B站 associate professor of electrical engineering.<\/li>\n
  3. Refurbished machines will be distributed to hospitals and health care facilities in Rhode Island as needed, and then to other places in need.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    There is significant precedent to hospitals incorporating these home-use machines in this crisis.\u00a0 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued guidance<\/a> to help facilitate their use in hospitals, and doctors at\u00a0 The Mount Sinai Hospital <\/a>and Northwell Health<\/a> in New York both issued recent protocols for using home-use BiPAP-ST machines in a hospital setting to treat COVID-19 patients.<\/p>\n

    \u201cRhode Island Commerce<\/a> is grateful to be collaborating with everybody who is contributing to the Community CPAP\/BiPAP Donation Drive, including VentilatorProject.Org, which has swiftly and creatively responded to this pandemic,\u201d said Pete Rumsey, member of the Ventilator Task Force within the state\u2019s COVID-19 Working Group, who also serves the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation as director of the Rhode Island Innovation Campus Initiative. \u201cPlease donate your extra machine and let\u2019s work together to help our community breathe,\u201d adds Rumsey.<\/p>\n

    溏心vlog免费B站 <\/a>President David M. Dooley said 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s role in such a vital project is consistent with its founding in 1892 as a Land Grant institution.\u00a0 \u201cOur participation in this extraordinary venture exemplifies the central mission of the University–to be of service to Rhode Island and its citizens and to bring our expertise and ingenuity to our community and the world,\u201d Dooley said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe are honored to be working with some of the best and most creative minds in Rhode Island and the selfless men and women of the fire service to take on one of the biggest challenges of our time. I am confident that we will be successful in this effort to help save the lives of our neighbors here and around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Peter Snyder, vice president for research and economic development, said the University\u2019s Division of Research and Economic Development and 溏心vlog免费B站 Ventures are playing a key role in the effort.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI am proud of the effort being made by units and departments across the University to support this important initiative,\u201d Snyder said. \u201cOur world-class research and technical skills will be essential components of this statewide collaboration that has been organized to help the state during this crisis. I am grateful for the outstanding support from 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Division of Student Affairs and other campus units.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Those intending to donate their machines should:<\/p>\n