This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Supplemental oxygen therapy has been a mainstay of treatment for a variety of respiratory issues, including COPD, for decades.1 During that time, millions of people have experienced improved longevity and enhanced quality of life thanks to the use of supplemental oxygen, particularly in the United States. Unfortunately, many others have not been able to enjoy the maximum benefit this established therapy is known to provide. A variety of studies have found issues ranging from providing appropriate education in the use of oxygen equipment2 to lack of clinical guidance for prescription and assessment.3 The lack of proper training has been particularly insidious, causing one third of oxygen users to feel at least somewhat unprepared to actually operate their equipment and nearly half to feel frequently limited in their activities outside the home. Many of these people go on to then experience isolation and fear, and many new oxygen users worry the same will happen to them.4
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial majority of new oxygen therapy users (64%) reported being trained on the use of their equipment by the personnel delivering it from their durable medical equipment (DME) supplier.2 The COVID-19 pandemic created a new barrier to that training, with many delivery technicians prevented from entering the home and providing direct instruction. Multiple anecdotal reports provided to the COPD Foundation described equipment being dropped on a porch, signatures being obtained, and departures noted without a single minute of training time. This may seem inconceivable, but even before the pandemic, 10% of oxygen users reported …
Correspondence: Michael W Hess MPH RRT RPFT, COPD Foundation, 3300 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Miami, Florida 33134. E-mail: mhess{at}copdfoundation.org
Pay Per Article - You may access this article (from the computer you are currently using) for 1 day for US$30.00
Regain Access - You can regain access to a recent Pay per Article purchase if your access period has not yet expired.