Methods and systems that incorporate automated or manual control of ventilationand kinetic rotation therapy are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, an artificialventilator is used to artificially ventilate one of the patients lungs,the status of the artificially ventilated lung is determined by measuring oneor more ventilation status measures, and one or more of the ventilation statusmeasures is used to provide feedback for controlling the positioning of the patient.In some exemplary embodiments, the feedback is used for automated control ofthe positioning of the patient, while in other exemplary embodiments, the feedbackis used as guidance for manual control of the positioning of the patient.