Vapotherm Blog

Vapotherm provides high velocity nasal insufflation (HVNI) with simultaneous oxygen delivery to augment breathing of spontaneously breathing patients suffering from respiratory distress and/or hypoxemia in the hospital setting. It is not intended to provide total ventilatory requirements of the patient and not for use during field transport. 

The information provided in this section is for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to support the safety or effectiveness of Vapotherm products, or diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is not a substitute for consultation with your healthcare provider and should not be construed as medical advice.  

Image of a nurse examining a neonate in the NICU

What is Benchmarking and How are Performance Metrics Used for Benchmarking in the Context of RT Department Productivity?

In a previous blog, I went into detail about various metrics and how to assess the validity of metrics when examining Respiratory Department Productivity. Here I’m going to review commonly used metrics in our hospitals and define each, discuss the validity of each, and how to best capture and use these metrics so that you can effectively establish safe and effective staffing levels to ensure high quality.

Image of a busy hospital corridor with patients and clinicians

How are Respiratory Care Department Productivity Systems Captured and Tracked?

Having discussed the various performance metrics that are utilized in a previous blog, I’d like to discuss how these metrics are captured, tracked, and used within a Respiratory Care Department.

Image of a doctor and nurse going over charts together

How are Respiratory Care Department Metrics Selected?

Before I dig into the specifics of evaluation and selection of performance metrics, it’s worthwhile to review how our respiratory care services and procedures were measured during the early decades of our profession and how dramatic a change we’ve witnessed in just the past few years.

Image of a female clinician putting a Vapotherm cannula on a pediatric patient

Patients in New Pilot Study of Vapotherm High Velocity Therapy Showed Similar Outcomes to CPAP for Infants with Moderate to Severe Bronchiolitis

Vapotherm high velocity therapy has been clinically proven as a mask-free and seal-free alternative to CPAP for both, primary respiratory support for RDS and post-extubation support. A recent pilot study now also may suggest that high velocity therapy could be an alternative to CPAP for the treatment of infants with critical bronchiolitis.

Image of a stack of $100 bills with a stethoscope coiled around it

What are the Components of the of Respiratory Care Department Micro-Costing System?

Micro-costing is a method to determine and document the costs of providing a procedure, service, or an episode of care. Micro-costing is a method that measures cost in terms of direct costs, indirect costs, variable costs, benefits, and overhead costs.

Image of a busy hospital corridor

Who are the key stakeholders in Respiratory Care Department Productivity Systems and How to Leverage them in Advocating for Appropriate Productivity Targets

I’ve covered elsewhere what Productivity is and how to measure it, so here I’ll focus on why it is absolutely critical to identify, educate, and engage all stakeholders in advocating for appropriate productivity targets. By doing so, the RT leader will optimize her chances of successfully implementing a productivity system in their organization that is standardized, validated, accepted by all communities of interest.

Patient in a hospital bed

What is the difference between Respiratory Care Department Billing Systems vs Productivity Systems?

Billing and Productivity systems are the backbone allowing Respiratory Departments to demonstrate their financial value and efficiency in performing services. Too often though, they get conflated, where a Billing system serves as the proxy for Productivity — something that should not happen.

Open Book

How to Make Sense of Charting, Charging, Costing, Reimbursement, and Productivity—Fundamentals for Respiratory Therapists in Inpatient Settings

For many of us during our respiratory care training, we were taught to focus on clinical documentation, which remains the focus for the bedside Respiratory Therapist (RT).

Image of a zoom conversation between Respratory Department directors

Velocity – Ep 8 – Respiratory Directors Share COVID-19 Experiences

Respiratory Department leaders Shelly Brown from Arkansas, Vernon Druses from New York, and Lenny Nyangwara from Maryland, continue their COVID-19 conversation from our last episode. Here they touch on relevant issues such as how they’ve dealt with supply shortages including PPE, and what COVID-19 advice they would give to colleagues who have not yet been hit hard by the pandemic.

Patient wearing the FELIX-1

[FELIX-1 White Paper] – Computational Fluid Dynamic Modelling of Particle Capture: Possible Use of a Modified Face-Tent as a Facial Scavenger

Aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) present a substantial clinical challenge during any clinical interaction, much less during a global viral pandemic. Control of AGPs during respiratory therapy procedures is important. Various methods of mitigation have been proposed for non-invasive ventilatory support.