Having worked in medical homecare (specifically respiratory care of critically and chronically ill children) for well over a decade, I can say that there are distinct differences between CPAP, BiPAP, concentrators, and an actual ventilator. 1/

Ventilators are no joke. They require careful titration and to need be able to be counted on and adjusted to the specific needs of the patient. They can't spring leaks or stop working. They need to be able to be sterilized on a regular basis. Otherwise patients die. 2/

They also need to work with the standard and specialized respiratory therapy equipment (like humidifiers, endotracheal tubes, ventilator circuits, suction). They need to control oxygen volume, concentration, and pressure. They took decades to develop for a reason. 3/

Over the last 35 years, I've seen the technology change and advance with much trial and error. I've seen so many people (especially babies & children) who were written off end up overcoming their illnesses to live satisfying lives and become amazing adults. 4/

Good durable medical equipment (DME) can and does save lives, and it will do that for many of the people who've been (or will be) taken low by COVID-19. But I hope in our desperation for quality DME, we don't settle for subpar, makeshift stuff that puts people in more danger. 5/

Medtronic, Fisher-Paykel, Phillip's, GE... they have spent YEARS making quality vents that keep people -- from tiny <1 lb babies to centenarians -- alive and kicking. They've done it with quality equipment developed with the patient & caregiver in mind. 6/

So maybe rather than half-assed attempts to make things experts will tell you won't work, we can try communicating and finding out what WILL work and helping the folks who KNOW what they're doing, to be able to do their jobs rather than flooding hospitals with subpar DME? 7/

I know that doing something and feeling like you're *doing something* to help makes you feel better, but it would really suck if your help ended up hurting someone, especially someone you love. So let's choose to do things the right way, okay? 8/8