Posted By Regan Haas
June 14, 2024
Category: Hurricane Safety, OxyGo, Oxygen Safety, Oxygen Tips, POC, Preparedness, Resources, Timely Topic
As hurricane season approaches, being prepared for potential disruptions is crucial, especially for those who rely on oxygen therapy. Ensuring a continuous supply of oxygen during emergencies is essential.
The Importance of Preparedness
Hurricanes can cause power outages, flooding and transportation disruptions, all of which can impact the availability of oxygen. Being prepared means having a plan in place to ensure that your oxygen needs are met, regardless of the circumstances. Here are some key steps to consider:
Assess Your Oxygen Needs
Ensure you have enough oxygen supplies, including extra concentrators, batteries and accessories, to last for several days.
Charge Your Equipment
Fully charge all your oxygen equipment, including portable concentrators and backup batteries, before a hurricane hits.
Create an Emergency Kit
Include in your kit:
Portable oxygen concentrator and spare batteries
Prescription medications
Healthcare provider contact info
Important medical documents
Non-perishable food and water
Flashlights and extra batteries
Plan Your Evacuation
Know your evacuation routes and plan how to transport your oxygen equipment. Inform your local provider about your oxygen needs for necessary assistance.
Preparing for hurricane season is crucial, especially for those who rely on oxygen therapy. With the right equipment and a solid plan, you can ensure that your oxygen needs are met, no matter what the weather
Posted By Laura Frederick
February 24, 2020
Category: From The Experts, OxyGo, Oxygen, POC, Resources, Technology
Portable Oxygen Concentrators: What are they and how do they
Posted By Laura Frederick
August 29, 2019
Category: COPD, Hurricane Safety, News, Oxygen Safety, POC, Preparedness, Resources
Hurricane season in the southeastern United States runs from June 1st through November 30th, but peaks from mid-late August through September. Sometimes, advanced warnings are issued for events such as hurricanes, tropical storms or flooding, but other times there may be no warning.These intense storms can cause massive damage to roadways, and power outages that can make it very difficult to charge important medical devices such as a portable oxygen concentrator.
It helps to PLAN AHEAD for these situations, especially if you or a family member has a lung problem or other health conditions.
To help with planning ahead, follow these steps:
Do not wait for an emergency to start planning.
Have a plan ready and have it handy at all times. Coordinate this plan with your healthcare providers, homecare company, nursing service, and medical equipment company.
Develop a basic family emergency plan. Be sure all family members are familiar with the plan.
Have the basic needs and supplies checklist completed below:
□ Water — one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation and 2-week supply for home)
□ Food — it is a good idea to include foods that do not need cooking (canned, dried, etc.) (3-day supply for evacuation and 2-week supply for home)
□ Battery-operated or hand-crank radio
□ First aid kit and manual
□ Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
Remember to try and keep all your devices charged and ready in the event of a hurricane
Posted By Laura Frederick
June 13, 2019
Category: Business, From The Experts, News, Resources, Software, Tech, Technology, WEMCO
How Technology Can Enhance Growth at Home and at Work
Posted By Erin Clark
November 15, 2017
Category: Health, News, Oxygen, Resources, Technology
The Health Resources Services Administration defines Telehealth as “the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration.” Telecommunication technologies include terrestrial and wireless communications, computers and internet, teleconferencing, video conferencing, and streaming media, to name a few.
Telehealth is different from telemedicine in that telemedicine specifically deals with remote clinical healthcare services, whereas telehealth refers to a broader scope of non-clinical information, such as continuing medical education, provider training and administrative meetings—in addition to the clinical services.
The advantages of telehealth are proving to be of great value in saving both time and money. Physicians and nurses can make virtual “visits” to a patient’s home to evaluate, diagnose and treat—without leaving their office. Likewise, telehealth allows the patient to receive expert healthcare without ever leaving their home. Telehealth provides improved communications to and from the patients, which in turn helps to decrease the number of hospital admissions. For example, the diabetic patient could upload their blood sugar levels, medication list or food logs to their physicians’ offices for their review and assessment, or the physician’s office could send out reminders to their patients to get the
Posted By Erin Clark
November 01, 2017
Category: OxyGo, OxyGo FIT, Oxygen, Oxygen Tips, Resources, Travel
When traveling with oxygen, whether by automobile or airline, there are some guidelines that you need to follow either due to regulations or simply for your own safety.
This article will focus on traveling with oxygen while flying.
Years ago, when you wanted to travel by air and needed oxygen during the flight, you were required to use the oxygen provided by the airlines. No personal oxygen devices could be used. Portable concentrators were not around yet and your source of oxygen for portability back then was primarily oxygen cylinders. To get oxygen for a flight you had to call the airlines weeks ahead of your trip and make the arrangements, providing a script for the oxygen and letter of medical necessity from you physician. Believe it or not, ALL oxygen cylinders (and they were cylinders) were kept only at the Pittsburgh Airport. There were NO available cylinders at any other airport in the country that could be commandeered for a flight. The airlines really did not want to handle oxygen patients and so they charged dearly for this service. The airlines charged you a flat fee of $200.00 per leg of your flight. Going to Florida with a layover in Atlanta? That would cost you $400.00 one way. And of course, there is the return trip home…another $400.00. Insurance companies would not cover this cost so this would be out of your pocket. I find it very ironic that even today, you cannot take any form of oxygen cylinder on board an aircraft because it is considered a ha
Posted By Erin Clark
October 18, 2017
Category: Oxygen Safety, Resources
When you are prescribed oxygen, it’s very important to listen carefully to the delivery technician and to follow the safety guidelines that you are provided. Oxygen is a drug. You need a prescription to get supplemental oxygen whether for stationary use in your home, for portable use to get around when you leave your home, or both. There are certain criteria that must be met to qualify to receive supplemental oxygen.
If you have oxygen in your home, you have met the criteria to qualify for oxygen and you probably received both oral and written instructions and materials on oxygen safety.
Over the course of my career, many people were worried their homes were going to “blow up” now that oxygen was in the home. I knew they were truly anxious and worried if this really could happen. I told them that having oxygen in the home does not increase the oxygen concentrations in the home. I explained that if oxygen were that dangerous, you would be hearing of oxygen explosions and fires on the news because people are careless and do not always follow the safety procedures they are shown.
So, it’s safe to say your house will not blow up because of oxygen in the home. However, there are important safety precautions to take when oxygen is in the home. Oxygen is not combustible. It’s not like gasoline. But oxygen does support combustion and will make a little fire much bigger. To create a fire, you need a heat source (match, candle, stove top, etc.), something that will burn
Posted By Erin Clark
October 04, 2017
Category: Resources, Travel
When traveling with oxygen, there are some guidelines that you need to follow either due to regulations or simply for your own safety.
This article will focus on traveling in a car, bus, motor home, train or cruise ship.
Traveling with oxygen is something that is done every day by thousands of people. Some initial planning on your part will improve your chances that your trip will be enjoyable and without incident. Whether you are jumping in the family car, taking the bus, traveling the countryside via a motor home, riding a train or going to the Caribbean on a cruise ship, some research and planning in advance of your trip is needed to eliminate—or at least reduce—any surprises along the way.
What type of oxygen will you be taking with you? Will it be high pressure cylinders? Liquid oxygen? A stationary concentrator? A stationary concentrator with high pressure cylinders? A portable concentrator? A cylinder filling stationary concentrator?
If taking high pressure cylinders, how many do you need? Can you get them refilled while en route?
If using a liquid oxygen portable with a traveling liquid reservoir, secure the reservoir in the rear seat of the car using seat belts. Calculate how long your reservoir will last and plan your route so that you are driving near companies that can fill your reservoir. It is very wise to call each company before you begin your trip to confirm they can fill your reservoir and that they will be open on the day you expect to be t
Posted By oxygo
July 15, 2017
Category: From The Experts, Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, POC, Resources, Technology
The portable oxygen cylinder is a modality that permits an active oxygen user to leave the home to go shopping, to run errands, go to the doctors, to church, on vacation, etc. Activities of daily living as well as the quality of life can be greatly improved with the addition of a portable oxygen cylinder system.
A portable oxygen cylinder contains medical grade oxygen (99% or better), which is compressed into a cylinder to 2,000 p.s.i. There are special composite cylinders that can hold as much as 3,000 p.s.i.
Attached to the top of the cylinder is the regulator which reduces that 2,000 p.s.i. to a much more workable 50 p.s.i. The regulator also indicates the pressure that is remaining in the cylinder as well as controls the flow rate of the oxygen output. The flow rate is set to the prescription as ordered by the physician. The prescribed flowrate is set by turning the control knob.
The portable cylinders vary in size. The larger the cylinder, the more oxygen it will hold, and thus last longer. The size and number of cylinders provided are usually based on the patient’s daily activities and the prescription from the doctor.
The typical portable cylinder system used to be the E cylinder with a two-wheeled cart. Most portable cylinders today are made of aluminum, but in earlier years the cylinders were made of steel and weighed upwards of 30 pounds.
An E cylinder running continuously at 2 liters per minute would last approximately 5 hours. The next size smaller is the D cyl
Posted By oxygo
July 06, 2017
Category: From The Experts, Health, Oxygen, Resources, Technology
A pulse oximeter is a medical device that is used to measure how much oxygen is being carrying in a person’s blood. More specifically, it measures how much oxygen is being carried in a person’s hemoglobin. The measured result is termed “percent saturation.” The normal blood oxygen saturation for a healthy adult is 97% +/- 3%. Hemoglobin is attached to our red blood cells and carries the oxygen leaving the lungs to the cells. Hemoglobin also carries carbon dioxide—the end-product of energy—back to our lungs so that it can be exhaled.
The pulse oximeter can quickly measure the hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen, providing a digital readout on a display screen. Pulse oximeters also measure the pulse rate, which is also displayed on the screen. Pulse oximeters can be powered by electricity, battery, or both. They come in various shapes and sizes. Hospitals and medical facilities more frequently use commercial-grade, electrically- and battery-powered units, while the much smaller, more affordable finger pulse oximeters are widely used by medical professionals and patients alike.
Pulse oximeters are very easy to use. The most common form of measuring oxygen saturation in an adult is using the finger probe which gently clamps onto a finger. Within seconds, the saturation and pulse are displayed. There are a variety of other probes which can also be used with the pulse oximeter. There are probes that attach to the ear lobe, and for newborns, infants and neonates, t
Posted By oxygo
June 30, 2017
Category: Asthma, From The Experts, Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, Resources
Respiratory patients using a metered dose inhaler (MDI) can improve the effectiveness and accuracy of medication placement into their airways and lungs by incorporating a metered dose chamber with their MDI. The MDI attaches directly to the MDI chamber, providing a space for the medication to remain suspended in the air a few seconds longer, improving the amount and dispersion of medication into the airways and lungs.
There are two different styles of MDI chambers. The standard chamber is usually a cylindrical device where the MDI attaches at one end and a mouthpiece is at the other. The second device is called a valved holding chamber.
How to use both the standard and valved holding chambers:
Remove the cap from the MDI and chamber. Shake well. If this is the first time using the MDI, prime the canister by pushing down on the MDI and pointing into the air. A second prime may be necessary.
Insert the MDI into the open end of the chamber (opposite of the mouthpiece).
Place the mouthpiece of the chamber between your teeth and close your lips tightly.
Exhale all of your air out of your lungs.
Press down on the canister one time.
Breathe in slowly and completely through your mouth.
FOR VALVED HOLDINGCHAMBER ONLY — If you hear a horn-like sound, slow your breathing down as you are breathing too quickly.
Hold your breath for 10 seconds to allow the medication to be absorbed into the lungs and airways. If you cannot hold your breath for 10 seconds, hold as long as y
Posted By oxygo
June 21, 2017
Category: Asthma, From The Experts, Health, Oxygen, Resources, Technology
A peak flow meter is a small handheld medical device that measures the fastest speed that air leaves your lungs during a forceful exhalation. This exercise is helpful to asthmatics as the results can help predict if your asthma is under control, or if an attack is eminent.
Using the peak flow meter is simple to do and only takes a few minutes. It serves as an important indicator of how well your airways are open and if your breathing is under control—or if you are headed for problems. The peak flow meter can indicate that your airways are closing long before you begin to feel any tightness or shortness of breath, enabling to can take your medications and prevent an attack from happening.
The peak flow meter has a mouthpiece that you place your teeth on and seal your lips tightly around so that no air escapes. The meter has a scaled set of numbers that begin low at the mouthpiece end and increase. Within the scale is a flow indicator and a spring-loaded push aperture.
Taking as deep a breath as you can, forcefully exhale from your mouth as fast as possible—imagine blowing out birthday candles from 3 feet away. The spring aperture will push the flow indicator to the highest speed that your exhaled air reached and the spring aperture will return to it resting place and the flow indicator will remain at that high flow so that you can read the results. After looking at your results, manually slide the flow indicator back to the baseline.
You should perform this baseline test
Posted By oxygo
June 17, 2017
Category: Health, Oxygen, Resources
Tracheal suctioning using a mechanical suction device to aspirate secretions from the airway is a vital part of bronchial hygiene when the patient does not have the ability to effectively clear these secretions on his or her own. There are several routes one could take when performing tracheal suctioning, including nasal, oropharyngeal and endotracheal.
The following guidelines are meant as a reference guide only and are not intended to replace hands-on training provided by a skilled medical professional.
Before any suction procedure begins, encourage the patient to attempt to clear his or her secretions with a deep cough. If the patient can produce a cough effort, the patient should be taught and encouraged to cough throughout the day.
If the patient cannot completely clear his or her airway and secretions can still be heard, take the following steps:
Explain to the patient what you are about to do.
Place the patient in a semi-fowler (or 45-degree angle) position.
Wash your hands.
Place a chucs under pad or drape across the patient’s chest.
Pour normal saline into a clean container.
Turn on the suction machine.
Put on sterile gloves if available. If not available, use clean gloves.
Open suction catheter and lay across patient’s chest.
Keeping dominant hand “clean/sterile” attach end of catheter to suction tubing.
Using water soluble gel, lubricate the catheters first 3 to 4 inches.
Remove the nasal cannula if patient is wearing one.
To determine how far the suction
Posted By oxygo
June 11, 2017
Category: Health, Oxygen, Resources
The stationary oxygen concentrator is designed to provide an unlimited supply of supplemental oxygen to patients whose blood oxygen saturation is 88% or less.
Our atmosphere is comprised mostly of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. The oxygen concentrator removes the nitrogen component, creating an oxygen-enriched environment, which is between 90% and 96% oxygen.
To maintain optimal performance of your concentrator, the following guidelines are recommended:
Place the concentrator in a well-ventilated area.
Plug the concentrator into a well-grounded electrical outlet. Never use an extension cord.
Do not smoke or come within 5 feet of heat source. (Example: if you want to cook, remove the nasal cannula and leave it in another nearby room.)
Do not use petroleum-based products such as petroleum jelly, for nasal dryness or irritation.
Do not use an oxygen mask with a concentrator.
Make sure there is no more than 50 feet of oxygen tubing on the concentrator.
Make sure your oxygen tubing is not kinked or obstructed.
In the winter months, do not use wool blankets or anything that may cause static electricity around the oxygen concentrator.
Maintenance
At least weekly, remove the cabinet filters and wash with warm soapy water, rinse thoroughly and dry.
Weekly, wipe down the concentrator with a clean damp cloth.
Never open the concentrator cabinet. Any internal maintenance will be done by your provider.
Studies have shown that humidifiers are not necessary for liter flows of 4 liters or
Posted By oxygo
June 08, 2017
Category: From The Experts, OxyGo, OxyGo FIT, Oxygen, POC, Resources
The OxyGo is a new-generation pulse dose oxygen concentrator that weighs only 4.8 pounds and can operate on electricity, DC current, or the external attached battery. The OxyGo can be used as both a portable and stationary concentrator. When in the home or a temporary location such as a doctor’s office, plugging the OxyGo into an electrical outlet will provide you with an endless supply of oxygen to meet your needs as well as charge the attached external battery. When traveling in a vehicle, simply plug the OxyGo into the DC outlet and the OxyGo will be powered by the vehicle’s electrical resources and will recharge or maintain a full charge on the attached external battery.
Before leaving home, check the battery strength. This is easily done by powering up the unit and looking at the display window. The left side of the window will show a battery outline representing the battery strength. A fully shaded battery means fully charged. Within about 15 seconds of turning the unit on, the exact percentage of battery charge will also appear in the display window.
To turn on the OxyGo, place the concentrator in the upright position with the display panel on top and press the large round on/off button on the far-right side for approximately 2 seconds. A single beep will sound as the unit is powering up. To turn the OxyGo off, press and hold that same on/off button until a beep is heard.
The oxygen flow settings are controlled by the + and – buttons in the center of the c
Posted By oxygo
June 02, 2017
Category: Health, Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, Oxygen Tips, Resources
Learn best practices for maintaining your oxygen tubing and nasal cannula to ensure optimal oxygen flow and comfort. Keep equipment clean and
Posted By oxygo
May 27, 2017
Category: COPD, CPAP, Health, Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, Resources
Your doctor will prescribe oxygen if your lungs are not getting enough oxygen into your blood. Many people don’t realize that oxygen is a drug because we are breathing it everyday in our atmosphere. When you need oxygen concentrations above 21% (the percentage in our atmosphere) you will need a prescription. In its natural state, oxygen is an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas. It is considered the most important of all the elements to life.
Oxygen does not burn; however, it does support combustion. In other words, combustible materials will burn much more vigorously in an oxygen enriched environment, compared to our normal environment.
Not only does oxygen exist in a gaseous form, it can also appear in a liquid and solid form. Liquid oxygen is extremely cold (-297.3⁰ F) and looks pale blue in color. It flows like water and weighs 9.52 pounds per gallon. Solid oxygen is used for rocket propulsion to propel our astronauts into space.
If you have been prescribed portable oxygen, we recommend that you make a copy of your script and keep it with you always. This way, if you are traveling or are far from your home and run out of or have a failure of your oxygen system, you will have a prescription with you to present to the oxygen company proving you are an oxygen patient.
Millions of people have safely used oxygen. There are a few things to remember when having oxygen in your home:
No Smoking. Never smoke while you are on your oxygen or near your oxygen source. As a rule
Posted By oxygo
May 19, 2017
Category: Health, Oxygen Safety, Oxygen Tips, Resources
For patients having trouble removing secretions or foreign matter from their mouth by effective coughing, oral suctioning can be beneficial.
Oral suctioning is usually performed using an instrument called a Yankauer suction, which is a rigid plastic or metal suction device with a connection end for the suction tubing at one end and a small bulb with holes at the other end.
Patients who benefit the most from oral suctioning include those with CVA’s, drooling, impaired cough reflex and those challenged with an impaired swallowing condition.
Some patients can perform the oral suction procedure on themselves.
It is important to note that patients with an impaired swallowing condition are susceptible to aspirating fluids, and as a precautionary measure should always have a suction machine with Yankauer suction nearby and at the ready.
You want to avoid going over any sores or sutures in the mouth. You also do not want to go so far in the back of the throat that you stimulate the gag reflex.
How to perform oral suctioning on a patient:
Assess the patient to make sure they are not in any respiratory distress or overly anxious. Be aware if the patient has a strong risk for aspiration.
Explain to the patient what procedure you are going to do and what they should expect.
Place the patient in a semi-fowlers position (45 degree angle in bed).
Wash your hands.
Gather supplies, a basin with tap water, and non-sterile gloves. If the patient has an infectious disease, you may want to we
Posted By oxygo
May 12, 2017
Category: COPD, Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, Oxygen Tips, POC, Resources
There are many devices designed to deliver oxygen to patients. When used properly, each oxygen delivery device can be an effective tool to help improve a patient’s oxygen levels in his or her blood. In this article, we will compare two delivery devices: the nasal cannula and oxygen mask.
Nasal Cannula
The nasal cannula is the most common oxygen delivery device used today. The cannula is comprised of two prongs that fit gently into the nostrils, with smaller tubing that loops over the ears and under the chin with a sliding nut that snugs the cannula in place so that it doesn’t dislodge. The standard adult nasal cannula can run as low as ½ liter per minute to as much as 6 liters per minute. As a rule of thumb, the nasal cannula delivers 24% of oxygen at one liter, with an increase of 4% of oxygen for each additional liter flow. So, at 2 liters, the cannula would deliver 28%, at 3 liters, the cannula would deliver 32%, and so on up to 6 liters. This rule is an estimate at best as respiratory rate and depth of breathing affect the percentage of oxygen being delivered to the patient. The nasal cannula comes in a variety of configurations for different age groups and flow levels. For the purposes of comparison in this article, we will be discussing the standard adult cannula, which is the most commonly used.
Oxygen Mask
The oxygen mask is made from a soft polymer that fits over both the nose and mouth. There are very small holes on each side of the mask for ventilation purpos
Posted By oxygo
May 04, 2017
Category: CPAP, Health, Oxygen, Oxygen Tips, Resources, Sleep Apnea
If you have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), you are not alone. Today, there are projected to be over 50 million people with OSA.
Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a severe or total blockage of the upper airway. The blockage is usually caused by either your tongue sliding back in your throat or a collapse of the walls of your upper airway. A decrease of 30% or more of your airway is termed a hypopnea and the total blockage of air movement for 10 seconds or longer is defined as apnea. It is not unusual to hear of patients having apneas that last for several minutes.
Excessive daytime sleepiness, feeling tired throughout the day, loud snoring following by periods of quiet, sudden awakenings feeling out of breath, and not remembering dreams are the most common symptoms of OSA.
Some generalizations regarding OSA:
Most patients diagnosed with OSA are obese.
People with a thick neck and small jaw are predisposed to OSA.
OSA affects more men than women; however, the number of women being diagnosed with OSA is climbing.
Untreated OSA causes high blood pressure, which can lead to right-sided heart failure and stroke. OSA can cause depression, mood swings, reduced sex drive and impotence.
The most common treatment for OSA is a positive airway device such as a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure), Auto-CPAP or Bi-PAP. These devices blow air in through the nose, mouth or both, to physically hold the tongue forward or keep the airway open using air pressure
