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improving or impede their participation in therapy. New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital A longtime member of the Vibra Healthcare network, New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital provides care for some of the most acutely ill patients from the areas around Boston, southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "Vibra is an outstanding healthcare company," says Albert Loerinc, MD, FCCP, pulmonologist and Medical Director of New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital. "They support their hospitals and medical staff as we pursue the goal of delivering the finest medical care to our patients." The New Bedford staff includes a host of affiliated physicians. Ten pulmonolo- gists rotate through the facility, ensuring round-the-clock care for patients who need pulmonary support. Other staff members include endocrinologists, nephrologists and cardiologists. Physical, occupational and rehabilitation therapists help patients relearn to speak, eat by mouth, stand, walk, perform basic hygiene and other- wise prepare for a smooth return home or transition to a skilled nursing facility. "Some patients come here unable to eat or talk, very much debilitated and ventilator-dependent," Dr. Loerinc says. "On average, they are ready to transfer to a less-acute setting in about 25 days. In some cases, we have weaned them from the ventilator and enabled them to go home in as little as two or three weeks." A d v a nce d te c h nolo g y, s uc h a s volumetric capnography, intrapulmo- nary percussive ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, assists patients in their recovery, Dr. Loerinc says. New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital's reputation for excellence has spread. A full 30 percent of patients come from as far away as Boston and Rhode Island, while the hospital maintains relation- ships with referral partners in Taunton and beyond. Taken together, these Vibra Healthcare facilities offer an integrated system of high-quality ser vices for LTAC and skilled nursing for patients from across Massachusetts into New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, southern Vermont and the capital region of New York. "We practice evidence-based medicine, we manage details, and we work as a team," Dr. Loerinc says. "When patients are so sick and compromised, it's the group effort that makes the difference." To learn more about Vibra Healthcare in Ma s sachu se t t s, v i s it u s on line. New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital: www.newbedfordrehab.com; The Meadows of Central Massachusetts: www.vhmeadows.com; Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts: www.vhwmass.com; Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts - Central Campus: www.vhwmasscentral.com. ■ When patients arrive at a Vibra Healthcare LTAC facility, they may have been breathing with the assistance of a mechanical ventilator for many weeks. Skilled pulmonologists and respiratory therapists at New Bedford Rehab Hospital employ an advanced technology, volumetric capnography, to optimize ventilator settings and wean patients from mechanical ventilation. Volumetric capnography, sometimes called the "GPS of ventilator management" measures flow and the exhaled volume of carbon dioxide. Monitoring these parameters yields large amounts of data about the patient's cardiorespiratory system. By continuously monitoring this data, providers can make deci- sions about how quickly to wean the patient from the ventilator. After changes are made in ventilator settings, volumetric capnography instantly indicates whether the change was ben- eficial to the patient. If the volume of exhaled carbon dioxide is dropping, it indicates the patient is having a problem and identifies whether the problem is secondary to a decrease in ventilation or perfusion. Ventilator settings can then be quickly changed to increase ventilation and/or perfusion as needed. Volumetric capnography also helps to identify optimal PEEP and can noninvasively measure cardiac output. By using this technology, New Bedford Rehab Hospital has reduced time to weaning by about 30 percent and the average time to weaning after admission is 13 days. By weaning from mechanical ventilation more quickly, the patient's overall progress in rehabilitation is enhanced, and the patient, often, can go home sooner. B R E AT H I N G FR E E LY Albert Loerinc, MD, and Manny Berthill, RRT, employ volumetric capnography to wean patients off ventilators in an average of just nine days. Larry Walker, RT, and Peter Bagley, MD M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Greater Boston | 9