(NAPLES, Florida – April 17, 2020) – As Southwest Florida continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arthrex, a global leader in minimally invasive orthopedic technology, announced it has started manufacturing and donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare systems and first responders across the region.
“We are proud to support healthcare providers and contribute to our community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Christopher Adams, Arthrex vice president of Global Medical Education. “The collective commitment to empower and care for those affected by this pandemic is inspiring to everyone at Arthrex who believes in our core value of Making People Better.”
Arthrex is using its unique and innovative manufacturing capabilities to help relieve the supply burden and provide essential protective equipment to frontline caregivers across the region, including Lee Health, NCH Healthcare System, Physicians Regional Healthcare System and Landmark Hospital, as well as North Collier Fire, Greater Naples Fire and Collier County EMS. All equipment donated can be sterilized and reused, helping preserve needed supplies while ensuring frontline teams have the materials they need to continue caring for the community.
Arthrex has already begun production of up to 2,500 protective face shields per week at its manufacturing facility in Ave Maria, Florida. This high-quality, reusable PPE provides full-face protection for healthcare workers.
“Our community has continued to rally together over the last month, and we are grateful for Arthrex’s support in keeping our doctors and nurses safe as they care for their patients,” said Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA, president & CEO of Lee Health. “We are fortunate to have a business leader such as Arthrex located right here in Southwest Florida who will put their manufacturing prowess to work to support those on the frontlines against COVID-19.”
Arthrex has also started manufacturing transparent plexiglass hoods to protect healthcare providers during procedures, including intubation. Intubation is the process of inserting a tube through a patient’s mouth into their airway. The tube is an essential step in placing patients on a ventilator, a standard treatment for patients with severe cases of COVID-19. The hoods Arthrex is manufacturing allow clinicians access to intubate the patient while decreasing their exposure to germs and viruses, including COVID-19. Once the patient is intubated, the hood is removed, disinfected and ready for the next patient.
Arthrex will continue manufacturing the face shields and protection hoods for as long as needed during this unprecedented time.
“Generous donations for our community, by our community are instrumental in helping us fight COVID-19. We are thankful for our neighbors, Arthrex, and their ability to provide top-of-the-line protective equipment for our team. These acts of kindness inspire us and demonstrates that our community will prevail against this pandemic,” said Paul Hiltz, president and CEO of NCH Healthcare System.
Lastly, Arthrex has loaned two medical sterilization systems to local hospitals and first responders in Southwest Florida. The machines are used to sterilize used PPE, helping to efficiently protect frontline caregivers and preserve vital supplies. Together, these supplies will help aid our community partners as we all work to help those affected by COVID-19.
Please contact Lisa Gardiner, senior communications manager, at Lisa.Gardiner@arthrex.com with any additional questions.
About Arthrex
Arthrex Inc., headquartered in Naples, FL, is a global leader in orthopedic surgical device design, research, manufacturing and medical education. Arthrex develops and releases more than 2,000 new products and procedures every year to advance minimally invasive orthopedics worldwide. For more information, visit Arthrex.com and OrthoIllustrated.com.
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