BEATRICE – Beatrice Community Hospital will be getting two LUCAS mechanical chest compression devices, through a multi-million-dollar project to save the lives of COVID-19 patients and protect health care workers.

A grant from the Leona and Harry Helmsley Charitable Trust is providing a total of $4.7 million in funding in five midwestern states. The money is paying for 367 LUCAS mechanical devices to be deployed at hospitals. The devices are considered vital to mitigate risk of health workers trying to save a patient, from exposing themselves to the coronavirus.

BCH Senior Executive for Patient Services, Tasha Hesman said the devices will give the hospital one more tool in caring for COVID-19 patients, but also other patients beyond the pandemic.

Research has shown cardiac damage in as many as one in five COVID-19 patients, which can lead to heart failure and death, even in those who show no signs of respiratory distress.

LUCAS Device