Product Solutions

Portable Oxygen Concentrators

A look at some of the latest portable oxygen therapy offerings on the market.

• By David Kopf
• Feb 01, 2015

As the industry runs up to the Round Two re-compete, many respiratory providers are bracing themselves for the possibility of further reimbursement cuts. If that happens (and let’s hope it doesn’t) that will mean those providers will once again have to find ways to drive more efficiency in the business and cut even more costs. Bearing that in mind, it’s important to stay on top of the latest portable oxygen offerings.

When the portable oxygen concentrator (POC) first debuted, it ushered in a revolution when it comes to oxygen business cost containment. With patients now carrying POCs, respiratory businesses could remove a massive chunk of overhead from their businesses by drastically reducing their oxygen deliveries.

Additionally, POCs also improved long-term oxygen therapy. With portable systems, ambulatory oxygen patients could travel much further from home and for longer duration. Armed with additional batteries and AC adapters, POC now could live more independent lifestyles and even go on long trips. This meant not only a better quality of life, but the increased ambulation was found to result in more beneficial therapy and improved patient outcomes.

And POC manufacturers continue to refine their systems. Over the last nine years, POCs in general have become more reliable, more economically priced, smaller, and lighter weight than original offerings, which lets oxygen patients be more mobile than ever before. Moreover, the devices also offer more features to assist in their use and upkeep. As equipment makers continue to drive new POC innovations, patients enjoy better therapy, and providers enjoy smaller cost models and wider reimbursement margins. Let’s take a look at some of the latest offerings on the market:

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SimplyGo

Continuous Flow From a 10-lb. Device

• Offers continuous flow (up to 2 liters per minute) and pulse-dose delivery with an oxygen output of 2,000 ml/min in one sub-10-lb. device.
• Comes with a carrying case; fold-up mobile cart; intuitive, easy-to-read screen; detachable accessory bag; rechargeable lithium ion battery; power cords; and manual.
• Designed for durability, the POC comes with a long-life compressor, high-impact resistant design and oversized cart wheels, and was tested and subjected to extreme conditions, including impacts, vibrations and temperatures.

Philips Respironics
www.philips.com/simplygo
(800) 285-5585

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iGo Portable Oxygen System

Reliable Portable Oxygen

• Put through durability testing to ensure consistent performance, and OxyTrack Software helps technicians view performance and usage information and clinicians effectively monitor oxygen therapy.
• Offers settings 1 to 6 in pulse-dose mode or 1 to 3 LPM in continuous flow mode with battery lasting as long as 5.4 hours when operating on setting 1 in pulsedose mode.
• Integrated pulse-dose oxygen conserving technology extends the use time, offering improved comfort and increased efficiency.

DeVilbiss Healthcare
www.devilbisshealthcare.com
(800) 338-1988

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Oxlife Independence

A POC at Home and on the Road

• The POC offers up to 3LPM continuous 6 pulse settings, ESA Technology for long battery life, and dual battery bays so patients can swap while the device is running.
• Device can be used for both in-home stationary and portable continuous flow.
• The Oxlife Independence is FAA approved for air travel, and comes with a five-year warranty

02 Concepts LLC
www.o2-concepts.com
(877) 867-4008

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SeQual eQuinox

Portable Oxygen With Verbal Feedback, Control

• Provides continuous flow options from 0.5 LPM to 3.0 LPM and 9 pulse-dose settings from 16mL to192mL.
• The multi-language voice interface offers a layer of comfort to users by providing verbal confirmation of changed flow rate settings, battery times, and any alarms.
• Weighs 14 lbs, and a newly designed, easy-to-maneuver frame makes the SeQual eQuinox easy to bring along.

CAIRE Inc.
www.cairemedical.com
(800) 482-2473

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ActiVox 4L

Lightweight Oxygen Therapy

• The 4.8-lb., FAA-approved device provides up to 4 LPM eq. using PULSEWAVE Delivery, with an oxygen Sensor standard on every unit, and up to 10.25 hours of internal battery runtime.
• Controls include a Transflective display; clear alarm and charging notifications; simplified hour meter and purity readings; tailored compliance tracking.
• Standard accessories include a four-way carry case; adjustable straps; AC power supply; DC power supply; accessory bag; nasal cannula; and an external battery is available.

Inova Labs
www.inovalabs.com
(512) 617-1700

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SOLO2

FAA Approved for Oxygen on the Go

• Offers continuous flow oxygen up to 3 LPM or pulse dose oxygen in settings 1-5.
• Power options include Battery, AC or DC operation and no separate battery charger is needed; users can charge battery with either the AC or DC adapter.
• FAA in-flight approval and 17 lb. weight (3 lb. battery) give patients the freedom and flexibility to go nearly anywhere without the concern of running out of oxygen.

Invacare Corp.
www.invacare.com
(800) 333-6900

This article originally appeared in the February 2015 issue of HME Business.