blog - Author: Erin Clark
Author: Erin Clark
The OxyGo Difference: Why OxyGo Doesn't Sell Direct to Patients
The OxyGo Difference: Why OxyGo Doesn't Sell Direct to Patients
Telehealth: The Future is Here
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
Traveling with Oxygen on the Airlines
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
No Smoking Means No Smoking
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
Traveling with Oxygen
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
