PHOTOS: An evening news broadcast in March sparked an idea for Kolby Kolbet: Could a space-age looking helmet used in Europe play a role in reducing coronavirus risk while transporting patients in the U.S.?
Months and many hours of testing later, the Sea-Long helmet worn by COVID-19-positive patients is now part of medical transport company Life Link III’s standard operating procedure when transporting those requiring oxygen.
Kolbet, vice president of clinical services for Life Link III, said he believes the company, with several air bases in Minnesota and Wisconsin, is the first in the country to use the helmets as part of medical transport. He hopes others follow their lead.
The helmets not only increased the safety of Life Link III employees by containing respiratory droplets, Kolbet said, but they’ve also shown improved outcomes for patients during transport. Of more than 30 transports during which the positive pressure helmets were used as of late November, Kolbet said all patients showed improvement in their vitals.