Practical tips on prescribing home oxygen therapy.
Oxygen therapy is tremendously valuable for patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency. A physician's prescription is needed to obtain Medicare, Medicaid, or insurance-company reimbursement, and certain guidelines must be followed: Patients are selected if significant hypoxemia is present, appropriate pharmacologic therapy has already been tried, and the blood gas criterion is met (ie, PO2 is less than or equal to 55 mm Hg, oxygen saturation is less than or equal to 88%, or PO2 is less than or equal to 59 mm Hg with additional evidence of adverse organ system response). A portable oxygen-delivery system should be used whenever possible, because participation in activities of daily living is promoted by the mobility it allows. However, stationary systems are appropriate for housebound patients and are widely available.
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Webb-Waring Lung Institute, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262.
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States