Posted on October 27, 2022
Breathing Easier: Mary Free Bed Respiratory Therapy Program Celebrates 5 Years
The Mary Free Bed respiratory therapy team is celebrating its fifth year at the hospital. The respiratory therapy team is comprised of of 20 respiratory therapists who average of 15 years of acute care experience – having served patients from coast to coast across the U.S.
In 2017, Mary Free Bed launched its ventilator and pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with neuromuscular conditions who require mechanical ventilation. Respiratory therapy is a crucial part of the hospital’s Intensive Medical Rehabilitation Program, helping patients with serious injuries and medically-complex needs.
Facing a global pandemic in 2020, the Mary Free Bed ventilator program was put to the test, and has since thrived. The team has collaborated with internal and external teams to design and deliver innovative respiratory programs for patients needing rehabilitation.
An Adult Ventilation Program started with the teamwork from Trinity Health St. Mary’s pulmonary physicians, Mary Free Bed physiatrists – physicians specially trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation, nurses, care managers and therapists.
The program initially focused on spinal cord injury patients but expanded to include stroke, brain injury, lung transplant, pulmonary, COVID, and complicated trauma patients.
A pediatric ventilator program was later created through a collaboration with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The fact that this inpatient rehabilitation program is standalone and not part of a large academic acute care pediatric hospitals makes it unique and valuable to patients in need of care.
Together, the Mary Free Bed respiratory therapists have also been able to spread awareness of sleeping disorders for patients. A collaboration with the Trinity Health St. Mary’s Sleep and Pulmonary team has improved awareness, education, screening, diagnosing and treatment for sleep disorder breathing. Over the past two years, the team has identified and assisted with respiratory sleeping disorders for 193 Mary Free Bed inpatients.
