We give children dependent on respiratory care the best chance to live life to the fullest.
Comprehensive case management and care
We assign a primary respiratory therapist to coordinate equipment and services for each high-tech child. Medical support from PHS respiratory therapists is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. A child's primary respiratory therapist also works to ensure clear communication between the child's family and the child's medical team.
In addition, we help with:
Hospital discharge care conference planning
PHS is an active participant in and strong supporter of care conferences. Bringing more than 20 years of pediatric experience, we help to ensure each child is discharged at the appropriate time and that everyone involved in the discharge process fully understands what we can do to provide the best care possible.
Environmental and pulmonary assessments
Environmental review: Our clinicians offer practical advice on how to make the home safe for the patient and the life support equipment. Suggestions will vary for each patient, but may focus on items such as where to store oxygen, which outlets are grounded, and whether the home has adequate circuits to support high-tech equipment.
Pulmonary review: We help children achieve best possible outcomes and avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room. We assess each patient's situation to ensure equipment settings are appropriate and that the size of equipment is based on the size and growth of the child for optimal ventilation.
Selection of appropriate equipment and supplies
We work with the doctors, families and caregivers to provide respiratory equipment and supplies to give the families a full understanding of the best way to use the equipment.
Medical testing options
Most of our monitoring and diagnostic testing is related to sleep disturbances, breathing capacity, the need for pure oxygen, and esophageal reflux.
High-tech respiratory care at home
Our staff works with families to ensure the safest possible homecare setting. We provide the latest and most advanced support technologies in:
Ventilator equipment
Ventilator is a machine that moves air into and out of the lungs for a child who needs help breathing. Ventilators are often connected to a tracheostomy tube in a child's neck.
CPAP, BiLevel equipment
CPAP is a machine that blows air continuously through tubing to a mask secured over your child's nose. The machine is set to deliver a certain pressure – the flow increases and decreases to maintain the pressure ordered by the doctor, and set by the PHS clinician. The air pressure helps keep your child's air passages open to help him or her breathe easier. Most often used while sleeping but can be used continuously.
BiLevel is a machine that blows air through tubing to a mask secured over your child's nose. The machine is set to deliver a higher pressure when your child is inhaling, then a lower pressure when your child is exhaling – the flow of air increases and decreases to reach the pressure ordered by the doctor, and set by the PHS clinician. The air pressure helps the children breathe in and out of their lungs, without using a lot of effort. A BiLevel machine can be used continuously.
Heated Humidity equipment
Air from machines (ventilator, CPAP, Bilevel, compressor) is cold and dry. Heated humidity adds warmth and moisture to the air, so your child’s airway does not become too dry.
Suction equipment
An oral or airway suction machine removes thick or excessive fluid and/or mucus produced in the mouth or other parts of the breathing path.
A gastric suction machine removes excessive fluid and/or mucus produced in the stomach or the tube leading to the stomach (esophagus).
Oxygen equipment
Oxygen system includes the equipment and supplies a child needs to safely and comfortably use oxygen.
Monitoring equipment
Monitors are pieces of equipment used outside the body to automatically measure how well internal parts and systems of the body are working.
- Apnea monitor measures heart rate and breathing pattern.
- Oximeter measures heart rate and the amount of oxygen in the blood.
- Blood pressure monitor measures heart rate and the force of the blood as it moves through the body.
- End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitor measures the amount of carbon dioxide gas that is in the breath as it leaves the body.
- Transcutaneous oxygen (TCpO2) monitor measures the heart rate and amount of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Respiratory diagnostic equipment
Respiratory diagnostic equipment takes measures outside the body to show how well the heart and lungs work. The doctor uses the test results to decide if a child needs medical treatment.
Airway clearance systems
There are several types of airway clearance machines that remove thick or excessive mucus from the lungs and from air passages to the lungs.
- CoughAssist helps a child cough to remove mucus in the air passages to the lungs.
- Intrapulmonary Percussive Ventilation (IPV®) uses rapid bursts of air into the lungs to loosen thick mucus, which can then be coughed up or suctioned out. The IPV can also deliver medicine to the lungs.
- Percussor is a small, hand held machine that vibrates the chest to loosen thick mucus in the lungs. The mucus can then be coughed up or suctioned out.
- Palm cup percussors are small vinyl plastic cups held in the hand to apply pressure and vibrate the chest to loosen thick mucus in the lungs. The mucus can then be coughed up or suctioned out.
- Flutter percussor and the flutter valve are small hand held devices that use a child's own breath to vibrate and loosen thick mucus in the lungs. The mucus can then be coughed up or suctioned out.
Getting started with PHS »
Our clients say:
"Your home health service is great. We were glad this service has had everything that we have needed. I am impressed that the service has called at least once every one to two weeks to see if we needed anything."
Melissa K.
Pediatric home health care experience and expertise you can trust.
We have more than 20 years of experience in providing respiratory and ventilator service to infants, toddlers and children. Named a Quality Respiratory Care provider by the American Association for Respiratory Care, PHS has met strict safety and quality standards in caring for our patients. Our staff is made up of neonatal/pediatric specialists who hold the highest levels of credentials. Our respiratory therapists are certified by the National Board of Respiratory Care and licensed in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
