Oxygen demand increases due to viral condition

The oxygen therapy that some of the patients hospitalized with Covid-19 who generally require days of respiratory aid at home has increased the country’s demand for home oxygen service.

Increased demand had been reactivated in recent weeks due to the fifth wave of Covid-19 that affects the country, mainly due to the high circulation of the omicron variant and the continuing presence of the delta variant that can cause complications mostly in vulnerable people.

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, which frequently causes respiratory difficulties, encouraged companies in the country that supply these services, especially by renting and filling the cylinders through contracts signed with the family that provides them.

Frequently, at the time of discharge, the Covid-19 patient who has presented lung disease is prescribed to continue receiving respiratory support at home for a few days until the adaptation process is complete.

In addition to the rise in hospital demand, the companies that offer the home oxygen service have seen increased calls from individuals seeking information on the procedure for accessing the service for home use.

 “Here we are receiving many daily calls from people who need oxygen at home for patients who have had Covid, and we have to spend a lot of time on it because they always have many questions,” an employee of one of those companies revealed to Listín Diario.

The cost varies
He explained that the cost of the service would depend on the amount of daily oxygen that the patient needs, whether constant or occasional. For example, renting a small cylinder for occasional service may have an initial cost of RD$11,000.00, with reimbursement of RD$7,500.00 upon returning the equipment.

The monthly rental of that same cylinder can be between RD$2,500.00 and RD$3,000.00, and its filling costs 300 pesos. This cost increases depending on the size of the cylinder and the patient’s requirements, whether permanently, occasionally, or for several hours a day.

A survey carried out by Listín Diario found that the cylinder rental for home use can cost RD$10,585, RD$19,000, RD$31,000, and up to RD$58,000, with a refundable deposit.