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HEART & LUNG
TESTING,
INTERVENTION
& EDUCATION
Did you know Blue Mountain Hospital District provides cardiopulmonary services?
By Brian Donahue
To the Blue Mountain Eagle
T
he Blue Mountain Hospital District
Cardiopulmonary Department op-
erates under the auspices of a med-
ical director and serves in the capacity of
direct patient care and diagnostics, pro-
viding quality-conscious, cost-effective
and competent care with respect for the
privacy, comfort and dignity of the indi-
vidual patient.
We provide service 24 hours a day,
365 days a year. A technician can be
found in-house from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mondays through Fridays, excluding
holidays. Outside of these hours, we are
available on stand-by and respond imme-
diately to all calls requiring our services.
The potential populations within our care
include the perinatal and newborn, pediatric,
adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
The services provided by the Cardio-
pulmonary Department encompass both
respiratory and cardiac procedures fall-
ing under fi ve general categories.
Diagnostic Cardiac Testing: 12-
lead EKG tests: hook-up, removal and
scanning of Holter monitors; echocar-
diograms (done by cardiac sonographer
from Bend Memorial Clinic once a
week), treadmill stress testing and echo
stress testing.
Diagnostic Respiratory Testing: ar-
terial blood gas draw and analysis; um-
bilical cord gases; end tidal CO2 moni-
toring; oximetry; spirometry; and peak
fl ow testing.
Therapeutic Respiratory: oxygen
therapy, medicated nebulizer therapy;
metered dose inhalers; CPAP and BiPAP
therapy; PEP therapy; incentive spirome-
try; and chest physiotherapy.
Emergency Intervention: Provide
advanced, cardiac life support and airway
management in respiratory crisis, includ-
ing mechanical ventilation for acute re-
spiratory failure. Monitor and maintain
oxygenation and acid-base balance until
issue resolves or until that responsibility
is transferred to the air-transport team.
Educational Resource: Instruction
for patients and their families regarding
the disease process and how to properly
administer respiratory medications for
maximum benefi t. We are also a resource
for other clinical staff in all matters relat-
ed to the services we provide.
Respiratory therapists at Blue Moun-
tain Hospital District are credentialed by
the National Board for Respiratory Care
and licensed by the state of Oregon to
provide the services we offer.
Brian Donahue is the director of car-
diopulmonary services for Blue Moun-
tain Hospital District.
Family Health Guide 2017 || 23