The Home Mechanical Ventilation Online Resource Center

The Home Mechanical Ventilation Resource Center is now available on the ACCP Web site, www.chestnet.org/accp/article/home-mechanical-ventilation-resource-center. This is the culmination of several years of work by the Home Care NetWork. There are four major resource documents: Home Ventilation 101, Home Ventilator Directory, a Ventilator- Support Equipment Directory, and a series of ventilator acquisition checklists, designed to address a variety of specific patient populations and ventilation-related equipment.

Home Ventilation 101 - directed to physicians, caregivers, and patients who need a global understanding of home mechanical ventilation. The goal is for readers to understand the different methods of home ventilation and appreciate the distinction between invasive (tracheotomy) and noninvasive ventilation. In addition, the selection of and considerations for appropriate candidates for each form of ventilation are discussed.

Home Ventilator Directory - includes specifications and options for portable ventilators used in the home.

Ventilator-Support Equipment Directory - lists support equipment.

Ventilator Acquisition Checklist - provides detailed information on the necessary equipment for a variety of patients, such as those using a volume-cycled ventilator via a noninvasive interface, or a bilevel ventilator through a tracheotomy.

The Home Mechanical Ventilation Resource Center provides an unparalleled, convenient source of information on home ventilation for experienced clinicians, fellows-intraining, home care providers, patients, and caregivers.

Dr. Noah Lechtzin, FCCP
NetWork Chair