LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 29, 2012) - A critically important Southern California healthcare provider and the only hospital of its kind in the region, Barlow Respiratory Hospital must replace its 84-year-old facility to meet SB 1953 requirements or face possible closure. More than 70 hospitals in the region refer their most critically ill respiratory patients to Barlow, freeing up bed space at the referring hospital and offering patients who can no longer stay in a short-term ICU the best -- and sometimes the only -- opportunity for recovery. But in order to continue providing this vital respiratory care, Barlow must obtain City Council approval for its Barlow Hospital Replacement and Master Plan Project. Los Angeles healthcare providers and residents alike can learn about and show their support for Barlow's rebuilding plans by visiting RebuildBarlow.org and sending a letter of support to their city councilmember.
"Barlow Respiratory Hospital has been an icon for about a century in Los Angeles," said Dr. Robert McKenna, chief of Thoracic Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. "As a critical resource for many hospitals in the region, rebuilding Barlow is extremely important to the Southern California healthcare community -- and to the patients whose lives are saved by Barlow each year."
As a ventilator weaning center, Barlow receives an estimated 21 percent of the Greater Los Angeles Area's long-term acute care respiratory admissions and 37 percent of area long-term care ventilator admissions.
"Hospitals, physicians and families rely on Barlow to transform patients' lives. Now we must rebuild our facility in order to continue providing critical services to the region," said Margaret Crane, chief executive officer of Barlow Respiratory Hospital. "We're asking for support from both the Southern California healthcare industry and the community that we serve to help ensure that Barlow continues to fill this vital need."
Barlow is also one of the few respiratory hospitals in the country with a dedicated research center recognized for developing and publishing breakthroughs that are transforming care and improving patients' lives. In fact, Barlow developed the first protocol for weaning patients with prolonged ventilator dependency -- the Therapist-Implemented Patient-Specific (TIPS©) protocol -- adopted by many hospitals across the nation and abroad. Barlow also shares its knowledge with the medical community worldwide through clinical studies using its Ventilator Outcomes Database, the nation's largest database of post-ICU weaning outcomes.
The proposed Barlow Hospital replacement plan includes construction of a 56-bed replacement hospital, associated administration and support facility, and a skilled nursing facility. Barlow plans to raise funds from the sale of a portion of its private land, which will be allocated for potential development options that might include residential housing units, assisted living, senior living and neighborhood-serving commercial uses. A percentage of the property will be allocated to open space, and sustainable design and energy conservation features will be incorporated into all aspects of development.
To learn more about Barlow Respiratory Hospital, the Barlow Hospital Replacement and Master Plan Project and how you can support it, visit RebuildBarlow.org.
About Barlow Respiratory Hospital
Barlow Respiratory Hospital, a not-for-profit, long-term acute care specialty hospital, is one of the nation's top healthcare providers for patients with respiratory and other complex illnesses. From nationally recognized success rates in ventilator weaning to a life-changing pulmonary rehabilitation program, Barlow's team of experts offers hope to patients seeking treatment of critical illnesses. For more than two decades, Barlow Respiratory Research Center has pioneered innovation in clinical research, shaping healthcare with its TIPS® Protocol and ventilator weaning success rates that are among the highest in the nation. As Barlow enters its 110th year of service, it continues its legacy as the only not-for-profit, long-term acute care respiratory hospital in Southern California with locations in downtown Los Angeles and satellite facilities in Van Nuys and Whittier, CA. To learn more, visit www.barlowhospital.org.