December 15, 2009
Former CHAP SI Coordinator Marshall Vanscoyk, (left) shows Health Aide Billy Rivers, of the Scammon Bay Clinic, how to operate the Platinum 10 Oxygen Concentrator.
Concentrators can pull oxygen out of thin air
Thanks to a State of Alaska Dept. of Health and Social Services grant through the Alaska Code Blue Project, YKHC has been able to purchase enough oxygen concentrators for many of the village clinics and all of our subregional clinics.
The Platinum 10 Oxygen Concentrator unit provides an alternative to oxygen tanks for nebulizer treatments and oxygen administration. The concentrators are smaller, more portable, and easier to move than the 250 lb. H tanks that have to be transported to and from Anchorage where they are refilled.
"They should be great for patient care and great for YKHC's financial viability." Said Jessica Horras, Clinical Compliance Officer for the Community Health Aide Program.
Oxygen concentrators will soon be in use at the hospital as well.
The Alaska Code Blue Project
The Code Blue Project was started in 1999 by the State's Section of Injury Prevention and Emergency Medical Services and the regional EMS offices in an effort to identify, prioritize and seek funding for essential equipment for rural emergency medical services in Alaska. The program is coordinated by a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from Injury Prevention and EMS programs throughout the state.
Agencies contributing funding for essential equipment has been provided by:
- State of Alaska
- Denali Commission
- Rasmuson Foundation
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Rural Development
- Native Health Corporations
- Communities
- Local emergency medical services.
The program has been very successful and the efforts of the Code Blue Steering Committee, combined with the generosity of agencies providing funding, have resulted in the purchase of new ambulances, rescue vehicles, patient care equipment, training equipment, and much more, including new oxygen concentrators for YK area village and subregional clinics.
General categories of equipment include:
- Patient Care
- Training
- Emergency Vehicles
- Radio/Communications Equipment
- Ambulances
- Emergency Equipment
- Communications Infrastructure
