About Us

The University of Michigan has a long tradition of being leaders and the ECMO program at UMMC is no exception.   Our program was established in 1980 by one of the founding fathers of ECMO, Dr. Robert H. Bartlett.  Our first patient was in 1981, with a total of eight patients that year.  Currently we average 80-100 patients per year.  As of June 2006, we have placed approximately 1750 patients on ECMO.  The ECMO program grew swiftly and a dedicated team was organized in 1987.   Dr. Bartlett expanded the program to adults in 1988.  We have completed 194 transports to date.  In 1994, our program expanded to include rapid cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR).

 As the years have passed, the ECMO program has become active in a variety of avenues - Hepatic support, Tandem heart, Vascular Surgery Support, and Donation after Cardiac Death. 

Currently, we are staffed by a mix of 21 Nurses and Respiratory Therapists.  We are able to staff 24/7, 365 days a year.  Our program as traveled throughout the United States and continues to be a resource for other ECMO Centers.  We are fortunate to be apart of a large teaching institution. University Hospital has 865 lisensed beds including 84 adult ICU beds, 31 pediatric ICU beds and 40 neonatal ICU beds. This allows us exposure to a vast array of patient conditions and disease processes.

The ECMO Program subscribes to the “patients and families first” philosophy established by the University Hospital Medical System.  Communication, compassion, and education are tools of the trade as we help families and friends cope with the severe illness of a loved one.  The uniqueness of extracorporeal support attracts the interest of all health care professionals.  Internationally recognized as a leader in extracorporeal life support research, the program serves as an educational resource to other health care centers.  As a provider of a truly unique and highly technical service, the ECMO Program recognizes its place in the healthcare community and understands the importance of public relations with our local, regional, and national referral base.