I will take a guess as I work with both types of...

I will take a guess as I work with both types of technology.

Maybe its the consumables and the R&D involved?

My hospital uses Fisher Paykel humidified high flow oxygen, thrive (has a 24 hour lifespan pre filter section), and airvo versions. Each FP device uses branded FP consumables, new ones for each patient, keeps the dollars rolling in to FP. We humidify CO2 for laparoscopic cases too, all FP branded single patient non reusable consumables.

The ventilators are General Electric. They use generic after market hoses and filters, and hoses only need changing maybe daily or even twice a week. So no branded GE consumables. GE are not making money on each patient use.

The ventilator is a way more sophisticated machine in comparison to the FP oxygen humidifiers, with computer software touch screens controlling many functions, and it does everyting to monitor and breathe for your unconscious or sick patient. The R&D cost to GE for the ventilator would be a lot more than FP spent on its humidifiers no question. I understand there are other costs to cover for device failures and potential for litigation.

As is the nature of everything, more complex means more fragile. A malfunctioning ventilator can be catastrophic for the patient. As for the FP Airvo or Thrive, there’s not a lot of parts in comparison and not a lot can go wrong with them. They’re relatively simple to use, and the patients are not so bad they need intubation, though that is on the cards if the high flow aint achieving adequate oxygenation, which is constantly monitored in all patients needing any of the tech mentioned. So you’d know if the FP device was playing up before things got out of hand, keeping FP out of the courts.

By developing high flow oxgen humidifiers rather than ventilators, FP has identified lower risk, lower R&D, and higher profit per patient use. Its good gear.

My opinion on the stock price is way less valid, but I can vouch for the FP announcement that we’re gonna be using truck loads of FP consumables as Covid steamrolls us poor bastards in the hospitals, so its a buy for that today. I hope there’s a spare FP Thrive unit there for me when I go down.

Stay safe, and for f*s sake stay home and therefore healthy! (please)