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Ventilator Assisted Care Program

Pediatric Respiratory Care at Children’s Hospital New Orleans

The Ventilator Assisted Care Program (VACP) at Children's Hospital is designed to meet the unique needs of children who require mechanical respiratory support at home. The VACP staff works with children and their families to access medical, social and educational services in their communities. The ultimate goal of the program is to help children gain greater independence.

The VACP serves children and young adults who live at home, qualify for Medicaid and require mechanical respiratory support for all or part of each day. Physicians, state and private agencies, healthcare professionals and families refer children to the VACP when a need for long-term, complex respiratory care is identified.

Three phases of the VACP

  • Phase I: The VACP provides family and caregiver training before the patient is discharged to ease the transition of returning home.
  • Phase II: The VACP team develops a plan for care in the home and community.
  • Phase III: Staff coordinates outpatient care to assist the family in maintaining the child’s health at home.

This program provides:

  • Ongoing support and identifies services to meet family needs
  • Training and consultation to healthcare personnel who provide routine care to the child
  • 24 hour on-call service seven days a week

Care continuity

The VACP team helps the family to obtain and coordinate healthcare services.

Crisis management

The team responds promptly to assist families with multiple and immediate medical or social needs.

Disability adjustment

We provide information and support for families experiencing difficulty understanding and accepting the implications of chronic illness and disability relating to hospitalization, treatment, and daily living.

Educational needs

We assist in accessing educational, vocational or early intervention services. We can also assist school systems in planning school health regimens and emergency plans. The program offers orientation, training and technical assistance to faculty, staff and student body in preparation for educating students with complex health needs.

Family identified needs

We assist the family in identifying and meeting needs that occur before or after a patient returns home.

Health management

We help to educate families on medical care and treatment response. The team works with physicians and other healthcare providers to ensure the best health for the patient.

Medical service coordination

The VACP team helps to coordinate clinic and therapy appointments. We work with the patient’s family and physicians to identify and schedule needed treatments and hospitalizations.

Parent to parent support

We help to connect parents and caregivers to other families in similar situations.

Training

We teach family and community care providers how to effectively care for individuals who are ventilator assisted.

Referrals

Referrals to the Ventilator Assisted Care Program at Children's Hospital may be made during any of the program's three phases. The client does not need to be a patient of Children's Hospital to be eligible for transition planning or outpatient case management. To refer a patient or obtain information, contact the Ventilator Assisted Care Program at 504.896.9228.

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