Episode 1229 • • 26:05 - 28:23
1229: Orange Tongue
Hospital Management, Respiratory Therapists and The Surge
Emails from medical professionals suggest that the primary bottleneck in COVID-19 response is a lack of trained staff, such as Respiratory Therapists, rather than a lack of physical ventilators. A nurse in Los Angeles reports low patient numbers despite the presence of triage tents. The hosts discuss how hospital business models, which prioritize 90% occupancy for profitability, left the system unprepared for a sudden surge.