Guide to Prescribing Home Oxygen

by Thomas
L. Petty, M.D.

Contents

The Key
to Prescibing Home Oxygen

Introduction

Keys
to Successful Treatment

Home
Oxygen Options

Conserving
Device Technology

Costs
and Reimbursement

Patient
Considerations in Selecting Equipment

About
Thomas L. Petty, M. D.

For educational
purposes only.

The Key to Prescribing Home Oxygen
Know Your Patient. Know Your
Options.

There are many
things to consider when prescribing long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). No
one oxygen delivery system is right for every patient. However, if you
know your patient and are familiar with the oxygen equipment options
available, you have the keys to prescribing the best LTOT system for each
situation. It’s my goal to provide you with the information you need to
make decisions about home oxygen. Prescriptions and dosages, equipment
selection, reimbursement issues and home care provider issues are all
addressed in this booklet. My thanks to the people at Mallinckrodt Inc.
for their support and assistance in putting together the information.

Know Your Patient

Matching the right oxygen modality to your patient begins with
understanding your patients’ lifestyles – where they go, what kinds of
activities they want to participate in, the oxygen dosage prescribed.
Highly active patients require highly portable systems. Patients who
mostly stay at home need different equipment. Get to know your patients
and their needs and you’ll have the key to choosing the right LTOT
equipment.

Know Your Options

There are many types of home oxygen equipment, designed to meet
different needs – for ambulation, dosage delivery and other variables. Not
every system can deliver every prescription. Many do not allow patients to
easily move around outside the home. It is, therefore, important to become
familiar with your choices and discuss those choices with your patient.
Use this booklet as a guide when choosing an oxygen modality.

The benefits of long-term oxygen therapy have long been proven, and
prescribing the proper equipment is critical to ensuring that your
patients receive those benefits. I invite you to study this material and
use it so that every COPD patient can benefit from home oxygen.

BACK
TO TOP