ARDS is a devastating lung condition with no FDA approved treatment, 40%+ mortality rate, and a cost of $100K per patient.  

Patients hospitalized with ARDS incurred significantly higher resource utilization and costs than non-ARDS hospitalizations during and prior to the stay. The pattern persists for one year after hospital discharge.  

For example, ARDS patients had longer stays in the hospital (16.7 vs. 4.6 days) and they incurred higher costs of care than controls ($117,137 vs. $25,199; all p<0.05).  

ARDS patients who survive to discharge are more likely to be re-hospitalized (53.2% vs. 12.9%)  and during the subsequent year ARDS patients incurred higher annual total costs ($82,749 vs. $22,670; both p<0.05).  

All of this leads to unfavorable health economics for the ecosystem and prolonged suffering for the patients and their families.