In March 2020, the Southern California Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Consortium was formed by four ECMO centers in San Diego. Led by UC San Diego Health, the consortium allowed for equitable provision of ECMO across the region and assessed more than 300 patients in need of life support during the height of the pandemic, placing 97 patients on ECMO and saving multiple lives. Through analysis of regional capacity, the consortium optimized resources for patient and community needs.
