Why measure CO2 in hospitals?
Less staffing is needed when monitoring the patient’s breathing by capnometry (measurement of CO₂), since it is easier to determine whether the patient can breathe on their own, or if they require mechanical ventilation. When there is no need to constantly monitor patients manually, a reduction of staff is possible.
Moreover, when using a CO₂ measuring instrument, shorter recovery time is achieved. Knowing what to add, and how much of it, leads to shorter recovery time for the patient.
Fewer lives lost in hospital
Individual-based treatments are possible thanks to the accuracy of capnometry, which can help on a case-by-case basis. This in turn leads to better treatment for patients.
Accurate medical care does not only lead to shorter recovery time, it can also be lifesaving; the wrong dosage given to a very sick or vulnerable patient can be fatal. So, the individual-based treatments have resulted in a big improvement since measuring began.
When patients become healthier faster, it leads to shorter hospital stays, which in turn leads to lower costs, both for the hospital and for the patient. If the recovery period decreases, the number of healthy people increases. The amount of people that return to work then improves, which benefits everyone.
Respiratory diseases statistics
A summary done by Eurostat shows that respiratory diseases were the third most common cause of death in the EU-28 in 2015, and were the cause of 8.5% of all deaths in the EU. Within this group of diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases were the most common cause of mortality, followed by pneumonia. Respiratory diseases are age-related, with the vast majority of deaths from these diseases recorded among those aged 65 or over. The highest death rates from respiratory diseases among the EU Member States were recorded in the United Kingdom (14.1% of all deaths), Ireland (12.8% of all deaths), Portugal (12.4% of all deaths), and Greece (12.3% of all deaths).
Key Benefits:
- Less staff
- Fewer lost lives in hospitals
- Shorter recovery time
- Lower costs per patient and time
- Safer treatments
- Individual-based treatments