The evolution of a long-term ventilator unit

Long-term ventilator management in an acute care hospital creates a financial hardship for the patient and the family and in almost all cases, results in a financial loss for the institution. The authors discuss the establishment of a successful, state-of-the-art long-term ventilator unit in a chronic care facility. This experience illustrates the multi-dimensional impact of long-term ventilator management in health care.