Maui Memorial Medical Center is set to receive an on-site oxygen generator this week as the hospital uses more oxygen than normal amid an influx of COVID-19 patients. The Maui News / COLLEEN UECHI photo
As hospitalizations for COVID-19 rise on Maui and the rest of the state, Maui Memorial Medical Center said it is using about three times more oxygen for patients than normal and expects to receive an on-site oxygen generator this week.
The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has increased by 109 percent from July to August at the Wailuku facility, though Maui Health officials said Tuesday that the facility is “positioned well to maintain current medical oxygen supplies.”
Oxygen needs are taxing hospital resources statewide, with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii warning recently that due to a “significant increase” in COVID-19 patients over the past month, “oxygen consumption had increased to the point where demand could exceed the supply.”
Hospitals use oxygen to assist patients with COVID-19, as well as those with emphysema and lung cancer, the association said. Patients in intensive care units generally are on either high-flow oxygen or a ventilator, and the majority of hospitalized COVID patients are on high-flow oxygen.
The current daily consumption statewide for medical-grade oxygen has increased approximately 250 percent since the beginning of August, the association said.
Maui Memorial’s medical oxygen supply is delivered every week from Airgas on Oahu “with the assurance our current oxygen consumption will be maintained,” according to a news release from Maui Health on Tuesday.
Kaiser Permanente is sending an on-site oxygen generator to the hospital with shipment expected later this week. The generator will be another medical oxygen source to supplement the hospital’s current supply.
“We are doing everything we can to mitigate any possible future oxygen shortage and are grateful to Kaiser Permanente for helping with this effort,” said Mike Rembis, chief executive officer for Maui Health, which operates the hospital and is an affiliate of Kaiser.
In addition, clinical leadership is addressing methods to improve oxygen use efficiencies based on the appropriate standards of care, the news release said.
On Tuesday, there were 26 COVID-19 cases being treated at the hospital, with six in intensive care and one on a ventilator. This is a reduction in COVID-19 hospitalized patients from last week, but the surge continues throughout the state, the hospital said.
The Healthcare Association of Hawaii said there are two liquid oxygen plants in the state, Airgas and Matheson Tri-Gas, with Airgas being materially larger. Both are operating at full capacity and have switched to producing medical gas only.
Generally, oxygen is not shipped in from the Mainland, as the plants produce sufficient oxygen, but if a plant goes down for maintenance, which happens rarely, oxygen can be shipped in, the association said.
However, there is a worldwide shortage on the specialty tanks used for the shipment due to the pandemic.
Hospitals across the country are also noting an increased need for high-flow oxygen, partly because they’ve found success in treating COVID-19 patients with high-flow oxygen tubes that use up to three times more oxygen than previous treatment methods, the Associated Press reported.
In Oklahoma, a hospital recently called 911 after coming within just a few hours of running out of oxygen because they needed an emergency transfer for a patient on high-flow oxygen, according to the Associated Press. In Florida, Orlando residents were asked to stop watering their lawns and washing cars because the city treats its water with liquid oxygen.
The Healthcare Association of Hawaii said it has met with federal and state government organizations and liquid gas suppliers to discuss the statewide situation.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
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