Stephens County Hospital Purchases New Ventilation Machines

Stephens County Hospital purchases six new ventilation machines.

Monday night, the Stephens County Hospital Authority authorized the purchase of six new Nico ventilation machines at a cost of approximately $27,000. Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said the machines are needed to replace machines that are outdated and hard to repair and maintain.

“It measures the outgoing carbon dioxide in a patient,” he said. “It measures several other things, but that is the main thing we are getting it for. The Authority approved the purchase of six of those units, which we will use in our intensive care unit.” Gambrell termed the new machines inexpensive and a good investment, considering the old ones lasted over ten years. The hope is that these machines will help patients come off of mechanical ventilation quicker.

“A patient who is on a vent is on an average of 4.25 days,” said Gambrell. “This should help us decrease that number.” The Hospital Authority approved the purchase unanimously.