Benefits of wireless technology in mechanically-ventilation to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis

Robert Cabbat, Helen Chen

Abstract

With COVID-19 cases rising quickly at alarming rates across the U.S. and globally, the pandemic crisis has exposed the importance and accelerated the need for wireless telecommunication technology in the intensive care unit. Many of these critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU require mechanical
ventilation. Moreover, due to their underlying diagnosis, these patients are required to be in isolated rooms and under contact precautions. Often times, immediate and emergency access to the mechanical ventilator are delayed or stalled by the hurdle to properly gown up with personal protective equipment
before entering the room.

Wireless telecommunication to access and control ventilator settings promptly from outside the isolation room, for example from a laptop computer, would overcome this barrier and time obstacle. Additionally, will save the already limited equipment and save money. Thus, the development of such technology is quite urgent as more and more critically ill COVID-19 patients are ending up on mechanical ventilation.

Keywords

Remote control, Mechanical ventilation, Wireless, COVID-19, telecommunication

References

1. Rajiv. How Wireless technology is used in Medicine and Healthcare. Accessed on 10/29/2020 at

https://www.rfpage.com/how-wireless-technologyused-medicine- healthcare

2. Invention Helps Limit Exposure to Infection, accessed 11/2/2020 at https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/medicaladvances/covid-19-advances-incare/anesthesiologist-develops-system-for-remotecontrol-of-ventilators