A Breath of Fresh Air for Respiratory Care at Verdun Hospital

In a context marked by workforce shortages and increasing pressure on our hospitals, it has become essential to turn to new technologies and artificial intelligence to offer users a more efficient and higher-quality service.

With this in mind, we are pleased to announce the funding of five FreeO2 devices at Verdun Hospital—intelligent tools designed for automated oxygen weaning. These devices allow respiratory therapy teams to automate simple tasks so they can focus on more complex clinical interventions that require greater expertise.

This project is especially meaningful to us, as it addresses a major challenge: reducing hospital stays and improving patient flow across our facilities.

Nathalie Poupart, Pulmonary Nurse; Gabrielle St-Aubin, Technical Coordinator in Respiratory Therapy; Marie-Pier Lévesque, Head of Respiratory Services; Philippe Nguyen, Pulmonologist; Raphaël Laforme, Coordinator, Directorate of Multidisciplinary Services, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

A local technology

Développé au Québec, l’appareil FreeO2 est un appareil qui utilise l’intelligence artificielle pour ajuster automatiquement et en continu l’apport en oxygène des usagers et usagères, en fonction des paramètres de saturation définis par les équipes de soins. Ce processus est actuellement effectué manuellement par les inhalothérapeutes et le personnel infirmier, généralement toutes les quatre heures ou lors de visites ponctuelles. Avec le FreeO2, l’oxygénation devient plus précise et sécuritaire, favorisant une récupération plus rapide.

The device is designed to provide the best possible treatment and support a faster, safer discharge for users.

Philippe Nguyen, pulmonologist

A concrete solution to easing emergency-room congestion

At a time when our hospitals and emergency rooms are overcrowded, the addition of these devices will also help improve access to inpatient beds and reduce pressure on the healthcare system.

Thanks to this collaboration and the generosity of our donors, Verdun Hospital is adopting an innovative technology that will transform the care experience—for users as well as for medical teams.

We would not have been able to develop this project in the current context. We are extremely grateful—not only for the benefit to our users, but also for our care teams.

Raphaël Laforme, Coordinator, Directorate of Multidisciplinary Services, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal

A heartfelt thank-you to all the donors whose support made the purchase of these devices possible—an investment that will contribute to more effective respiratory care at Verdun Hospital.

Thank you to the teams at Verdun Hospital for their collaboration! We are delighted to support you in improving care.