When Life Support Meets the Funding System
When Life Support Meets the Funding System Here’s something I’ve been working through recently that I think deserves a closer look. My son Alex uses a NeuRx diaphragm-pacing system as his primary respiratory support . His diaphragm pacer stimulates his diaphragm to contract so he can breathe. His ventilator provides additional support, but it is not a replacement for his diaphragm pacer. This isn’t optional equipment. It’s life support. And like other life-support systems, it requires ongoing supplies to operate safely. For Alex, those include: Specialized lithium batteries Patient cables Connector holders Batteries must be replaced regularly. Cables and connectors can wear, develop problems, or require unexpected replacement. We’ve experienced that firsthand. Recently, a patient cable developed a problem that caused the pacer to alarm. Another cable incident required immediate troubleshooting and temporary manual breathing assistance. Having replacement supplies ...
