Shortages and Vulnerabilities of Hospital Oxygen Systems

The COVID-19 pandemic has inundated hospitals with patients suffering from profound hypoxemia and placed a strain on health care systems around the world. Shortages of personnel, drugs, ventilators, and beds were predicted and, in many cases, came to fruition. As the pandemic wore on, there have been reports of impacts on hospital medical gas supply systems. Oxygen in particular has been a concern for hospitals in terms of supply and distribution. This article outlines procedures for estimating medical gas flow limitations within health care organizations and also methods for estimating gas consumption.