Mobile Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Strike Team to Expand the Treatment of Cardiorespiratory Failure

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a therapy utilized to support patients with acute, potentially reversible, life-threatening cardiac or respiratory failure refractory to conventional therapy. The indications for ECMO therapy have continued to expand along with increasing numbers of patients treated with ECMO, however, ECMO remains a resource-intensive therapy. Outcomes data suggest that patient survival is impacted by center volume, with high-volume centers and specialty-trained teams having improved outcomes. ECMO may not be a treatment option for patients presenting to community hospitals without access to the resources necessary to initiate ECMO. The development of specialty-trained mobile strike teams may improve access to this life-saving therapy. Transportation of patients on ECMO has been shown to be feasible and safe, without significant differences in patient outcomes