Fundamentals of Oxygen Safety and Management in Home Care and Hospice

Course overview

Oxygen therapy is frequently prescribed for patients in home care and hospice. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defines oxygen as a drug and therefore requires a prescription for its administration. The most frequent use of oxygen is for treatment of dyspnea in older adults with chronic obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disease. In 1995, the number of people using long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was estimated to be 800,000, at a cost of $1.1 billion. In 2011, CMS implemented a competitive bidding process to reduce the cost of oxygen therapy. This policy change was effective in lowering cost but limited the availability of certain modalities. Despite a growing number of people diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary Disease (COPD), the cost has still risen, but only to $1.4 billion. This foundational course will address care and management of patients receiving oxygen therapy at home and the related safety considerations. Home care and hospice are physician-directed models of care. Like all aspects of Medicare, there are specific coverage guidelines and criteria for LTOT. Indications for usage, goals of therapy, delivery methods, safety concerns, and oxygen's use in home environments of care will be addressed. A patient case scenario with best practices will be used to illustrate care and management of a patient with COPD. This course is directed toward those practicing in-home care and hospice at home. It is interdisciplinary-intended for nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, social workers, and speech-language pathologists.