Designation highlights team’s hard work and dedication to patients with tracheostomies.

Children’s Wisconsin has been named a Passy Muir Center of Excellence. This designation is awarded to facilities that exhibit their commitment to providing patients with tracheostomies a step toward independence, dignity and an enhanced quality of life.

To receive this designation, centers of excellence are required to demonstrate outstanding multidisciplinary teamwork, participation in advanced tracheostomy education and excellence in the proper utilization of the Passy Muir® Valve. The Passy Muir® Valve is a medical device invented by a patient named David A. Muir that provides tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated patients the ability to speak. Because the Passy Muir® Valve also improves swallowing ability and various pulmonary functions, and assists patients with weaning from the ventilator, it decreases recovery time, reduces hospital costs and enhances quality of life. The valve allows patients to speak and eat early in recovery, even while they are still on the ventilator.

The Children’s Wisconsin Tracheostomy/Home Ventilator Program has met a set of high standards which facilitates early and successful use of the valve with patients.