The Ventilator Capacity Project surveyed New York City hospitals in order to ascertain several key elements of surge capacity. The survey determined 1) an accurate number of ventilators in city hospitals; 2) health care workers' familiarity with portable ventilators that are part of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS); 3) hospitals' willingness to use externally purchased ventilators; and 4) hospitals' reliance on oxygen vendors.
The materials include the survey tool that was used to assess need, a summary of the survey results, and a slide set describing the city's work on mitigating gaps in ventilatory capacity. This project focuses mainly on assessment of need and ventilator selection and provides some information on the need for trained operators and related supplies (e.g., oxygen). One reviewer commented that appropriate operator training for stockpiled ventilators may be the most critical issue facing many jurisdictions, while selection of the actual ventilator and supplies may be less important. Since the scope of need for ventilatory capacity in New York City is so large, this needs assessment may need to be tailored to jurisdictions with a smaller population density.
