UnitedHealth Group, Boston Scientific, Medtronic & the University of Minnesota Work to Deploy 3,000 Emergency Ventilator Alte...
April 23 2020 - 01:00PM
Business Wire
Newly invented and U.S. Food and Drug
Administration-authorized devices will help provide relief to
impacted patients and enhance clinical capacity
UnitedHealth Group is collaborating with Boston Scientific,
Medtronic and the University of Minnesota to deploy 3,000 newly
invented “light” ventilators to address the limited stock of
critical breathing support equipment in response to COVID-19.
The collaboration went from concept stage to manufacturing in
less than 30 days, with the first 500 products ready to ship this
week. UnitedHealth Group is working with Medtronic and the
University of Minnesota to determine initial destinations, while
Boston Scientific is manufacturing and shipping the product.
These innovative devices will help address a clinical gap for
patients who need a higher level of respiratory support but don’t
have immediate access to traditional ventilators when there is a
shortage. They will also provide health care workers with an
additional tool to care for high volumes of patients who require
emergency breathing support.
“We are grateful for collaborations with distinguished experts
in academia, across health care and in other industries to offer
innovative solutions like this light ventilator,” said Ken Ehlert,
chief scientific officer, UnitedHealth Group. “Unique partnerships
will be critical as we work together to confront COVID-19 in the
months ahead. These light ventilators will help prevent future
ventilation shortages, support patients who need this level of
breathing assistance and expand clinical capacity to deliver
care.”
The University of Minnesota Medical School and Earl E. Bakken
Medical Devices Center initially conceived the idea of the light
ventilator, called the Coventor. Boston Scientific, Medtronic and
UnitedHealth Group provided technical, clinical, regulatory and
manufacturing expertise to refine how the device works and bring it
to market at scale.
“We are appreciative of the support locally and nationally in
getting the Coventor to the field,” said Stephen Richardson, M.D.,
cardiac anesthesiology fellow at the University of Minnesota
Medical School. “We developed the Coventor to be useful in those
clinical settings where traditional ventilators are not available.
This allows patients who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to
survive, to survive. Making the emergency ventilator alternative
devices as fast as possible, pushing it to people everywhere —
that’s what this is all about.”
The emergency ventilator alternative device uses an electrically
powered robotic arm to mechanically compress an off-the-shelf adult
resuscitation bag, the sort often used by paramedics to help a
patient breathe. This design provides oxygen assistance and enables
health care workers to shift from manually operating the
resuscitation bag. The device can also be configured with airflow
accessories in multiple ways to best accommodate on-the-ground
needs at different clinical facilities.
The devices will be shipped to geographies where ventilators are
urgently needed, and any remaining devices will be offered as a
donation to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. Collaborating to
deploy the emergency ventilator alternative is the latest of
several initiatives announced by UnitedHealth Group to combat
COVID-19. Other initiatives to date include:
- Investing nearly $70 million to help at-risk populations and
protect the health care workforce.
- Pioneering self-administered swab procedures to expand COVID-19
testing, reduce needed personal protective equipment and protect
health care workers from unecessary exposure to COVID-19.
- Accelerating payments to providers throughout the crisis, with
an initial tranche of nearly $2 billion.
- Waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatment for
U.S. members of UnitedHealthcare plans and simplifying access to
care by reducing prior-authorization requirements.
- Significantly expanding access to telehealth and virtual visits
and redeploying 5,000 Optum clinicians to expand telehealth
capabilities.
- Providing a special enrollment period for fully insured
customers to allow employees who did not opt in for coverage during
the regular enrollment period to secure coverage.
- Conducting proactive personal outreach to support seniors and
the most vulnerable populations among our members.
- Launching a free nationwide emotional support line to manage
the stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19.
- Converting company cafeterias to provide more than 75,000 meals
a week for people in need and keeping our cafe team at work.
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care
company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and
helping to make the health system work better for everyone.
UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services
through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides
health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which
provides information and technology-enabled health services. For
more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at
www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on
Twitter.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200423005710/en/
Eric Hausman, 952-936-3963, Eric.Hausman@uhg.com
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