Respiratory Therapy at Holzer Medical Center in Gallipolis

It is a common misconception that if your loved one has been put on a ventilator, they must be near death. This is not true. Ventilators are often used for support during medical procedures and in the event of a medical crisis. Respiratory therapy itself involves much more than the use of ventilators.

Most of the patients treated by Holzer Medical Center’s Respiratory Therapy Department have some type of pulmonary (lung related) disorder. These include chronic obstructive lung disease, emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and more. In addition, the department is often called upon to perform diagnostic pulmonary studies for patients who work in hazardous environments.

If you wish to call or email the Respiratory Therapy Department, please visit our Holzer Medical Center  contact page. We are located on the second floor, immediately adjacent to the Critical Care unit at Holzer Medical Center, Gallipolis.

Respiratory Therapy Services

Respiratory therapy provides a means to relieve the clinical signs and symptoms of many pulmonary diseases. This includes improved oxygenation, improved ventilation, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disorders, and evaluation of the patient’s pulmonary system.

The department provides a full scope of Respiratory Therapy Procedures, including:

• Applications and monitoring of the administration of medical gases.
• Mechanical ventilatory support.
• Artificial airway management.
• Bronchopulmonary rehabilitation.
• Cardiovascular support.

Other procedures include:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Smoking cessation.
• Oxygen saturation determination and electrocardiograms studies.
• Technical studies for the Neurology Lab.

At the Respiratory Therapy Department of Holzer Medical Center, Gallipolis, our staff has been trained on one of the most advance pulmonary functions system available. Because our studies are completed on a timely manner and with the highest degree of professionalism, the department often receives positive comments from the patients and their families.

Service Area

The Respiratory Therapy Center of HMC, Gallipolis provides services to any patient seeking pulmonary care in southeastern Ohio or northern West Virginia. The department also provides emergency transfer assistance to patients requiring a transfer to a larger medical center or a trauma center.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the side effects from the medicine being delivered?

You may feel a little tremble or shaky feeling after the treatment. This should leave in about 10-15 minutes.

Will the arterial blood gas procedures hurt?

The blood gas procedure does require a needle puncture, but the patient should not experience much more pain than a normal venous puncture by the lab. On a rare occasion, the needle may touch a nerve, resulting in some additional discomfort.

What does a respirator do?

The respirator provides the patient with a normal exchange of air/oxygen gas to sustain life. The therapist can control the amount of air/oxygen delivered and how often the gas is delivered. This is a life support device and very important to the patients care.

When my loved one is put on a ventilator, are they near death?

Certainly not, on many occasions the ventilator is simply for support during a medical crisis. The majority of the patients ventilated are successfully weaned from the respirator.

Respiratory Therapy Department History

The department was originally added to the Holzer System in 1967 at the old (landmark) Holzer Hospital in downtown Gallipolis.

Department Personnel

Ronald L. Saunders, RRT – Director of Therapy Services
Graduate of University of Rio Grande – 1972 – Health and Physical Education
Graduate of the Ohio State University – 1974 – Respiratory Technology
Darlene Hussell , RRT – Manager of Respiratory Therapy. Graduate of University of Charleston -1984 – Respiratory Therapy

Location

Respiratory Therapy Department
Holzer Medical Center
100 Jackson Pike
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631
Phone: 740-446-5419

The Respiratory Therapy Department is located on the second floor of the medical center, immediately adjacent to the Critical Care unit. The entrance to the department is across the hall from the physicians elevator.

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