As COVID-19 cases continue
to drop in the United
States, the global urgency around
obtaining oxygen equipment and
a reliable oxygen supply continues
to surge in certain geographies,
keeping the pressure on makers of
this lifesaving equipment.
With ongoing stress on the
global supply chain and logistics,
medical equipment providers and
distributors, particularly in the
country, can begin to re-assess
the general operations and costs
associated with the equipment
upkeep required to care for your
oxygen patients. This important
exercise will not only give you a
clear picture of where you stand
today in your service but help you
consider opportunities to optimize
and grow your business.
Invite your oxygen therapy
equipment manufacturer to join
you in this process of review and
planning. Don’t be shy about your
operational pain points, and use
this time to look at your equipment
to see what needs repair and what
needs to be replaced.
Ask some key questions:
- How do you handle hospital
discharges and patient setups? - How are you keeping in touch
with your O2 patients? - What cash retail sales opportunities
are you offering?
SAVE TIME AND MONEY
WITH NEW O2 PATIENT SETUPS
First things first: Adoption of hospital
O2 discharge or non-delivery programs
has relied completely on providers being
ready to make a change in how they
manage their fleet assets and an overall
move to shift away from a heavy reliance
on oxygen cylinders.
Successful hospital O2 discharge
programs rely on a transportable oxygen
concentrator that is easy to move from
hospital to home. Not only does a
transportable provide an all-in-one type
of coverage — offering both pulse and
continuous flow options — but it also
gives the provider significant flexibility to
schedule patient setup to optimize route
planning, which is often impacted by
location or inclement weather.
Following hospital discharge, a nondelivery
program incorporates the two
elements that most oxygen users need—an at-home solution and a product to
encourage mobility. Throughout the past
year, providers have found that a nondelivery
program offers a safe and low
contact way for providers to get patients
the equipment they need. As an example,
CAIRE’s non-delivery program includes
pairing a portable oxygen concentrator
and a stationary oxygen concentrator,
both of which can satisfy the most
common prescription for the new oxygen
patient during all phases of activity.
STREAMLINE O2 PATIENT
MANAGEMENT WITH TELEHEALTH
Today’s oxygen concentrators offer
advancements in telehealth connectivity
and smart technologies that can improve
the way you obtain data and support new
oxygen patients as part of your business
operations.
When reviewing your fleet’s telehealth
connectivity, consider those features that
offer the most flexibility and simplicity.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Will this application cover a broad portfolio
of oxygen equipment—including
portable, transportable and stationary
devices? - Does it offer data overkill, or does it
highlight those key points and device
notifications (that ultimately impact the
end user), and identify those individuals
who might need some additional
provider support? - Most importantly, is this solution safe
and secure to ensure compliance,
with privacy of patient healthcare
information? - Take your time in researching the available
solutions and find one that checks
all the boxes.
INCREASE RETAIL CASH SALES
OF POC ACCESSORIES
Oxygen equipment retail sales can be
tricky with the influx of many oxygen
manufacturers into direct-to-consumer
operations. Many providers shy away
from these efforts because of the
already limited bandwidth of sales floor
space, trained sales personnel and tight
marketing budgets necessary to support
these activities.
Consider putting energy toward
boosting your sales of oxygen therapy
accessories. Many consumers will pay
cash for the convenience of having extra
batteries and accessories that can make
travel easier.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Hospital discharge programs are
more efficient with a transportable
oxygen concentrator. - Non-Delivery solutions provide a
safe and low contact way to get your
oxygen users the equipment they
need to continue to live without
limiting activity outside the home. - Telehealth connectivity is essential
in the ever-evolving role of smart
technology featured on portable,
transportable and stationary
oxygen concentrators.
LEARN MORE
Read more about oxygen and
respiratory topics at hme-business.com/oxygen. To learn more about
conducting a business review of
your oxygen fleet, contact CAIRE via
phone at (800) 482-2473 or email caire.medical@caireinc.com.