Colorado Public News stopped by our offices and shot a video about home medical equipment and medicare. It features our Customer Service Manager, John More.

Colorado Public News has found that oxygen concentrators, used by patients who have trouble breathing, are a prime example of the high cost of renting home medical equipment. Years of investigations and reforms haven’t fully solved Medicare’s problem with overpaying, partly due to orders from Congress.

No excuses, it’s my fault at least I thought so.

Recently, I blamed myself because one of my buddies cancelled his reservations to go with his wife on that Caribbean cruise they had planned for so long. Ultimately his wife offered the spot to a girlfriend, but because I hadn’t done my part as a patient advocate I felt I had failed my friend. He had lost his battle with his fear about traveling with oxygen and because of that he had sat home. In retrospect, I guess during all our conversations over breakfast, sharing a lunch or dinner we had never talked about the ease of being able to travel with oxygen.
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By John R. Goodman BS RRT

Have you ever wondered how many of the myths associated with medical therapy get started? This is especially true in the area of oxygen therapy. Although oxygen was first used as a therapeutic agent as far back as 1799, the modern era of oxygen therapy had to wait for the technology to be “invented” so oxygen could be safely and conveniently delivered to the home. For arguments sake, let’s say the modern era of home oxygen therapy began with the introduction of the first oxygen concentrators. This would put us at the beginning of the 1970’s. For the first time patients on home oxygen did not have to give up their garages to store the huge number of bulky and heavy cylinders of oxygen they required. Now that oxygen was becoming easier to supply to patients in the home, it’s not that difficult to see where some of the myths surrounding the use of oxygen got started. Let’s zero in on just a few of the most common myths and see if we can explain how they might have come into existence. Let’s start with the possibility of oxygen exploding.
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In light of recent weather-related events, the COPD Foundation published an e-Newsletter article about emergency preparedness for oxygen users. This is something that we do not normally think about, but what if the worst really does happen and bad weather strikes?

The COPD Foundation suggests contacting your local power company to register with them as oxygen dependent. Questions to ask them should include:
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My Journey with COPD: Advocacy and Empowerment
by Edna Fiore

Dr. Thomas L. Petty began a concerted effort to promote COPD awareness and advocacy in the mid 1990s. His initial emphasis was on the education of the professional community about the importance of spirometry testing as a routine part of medical examinations and the education of both the general public and professional community about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His initial efforts culminated in the first U.S. COPD Coalition National Conference in 2003. I had the privilege of working closely with Dr. Tom beginning in 2004. My journey in the cause for COPD awareness has been exciting and rewarding in innumerable ways.
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Last month, we discussed the “ins” and “outs” of traveling with oxygen by automobile. What about air travel? Is it possible to travel by air these days when requiring oxygen? You bet!

There are several steps involved when bringing oxygen on board an airline. First and foremost, always contact your physician to make sure that he or she feels that you should be taking a trip.

Once you get your doctor’s verbal OK, there are two important written things that you will need from your doctor in order to travel by air: an oxygen prescription and an airline approved “Physician Statement. “ The prescription is for a company, such as American Medical Sales & Repair, that will be providing a Portable Oxygen Concentrator rental; the Physician Statement is for the airline and must be either an actual airline form or on physician’s letterhead. The airlines have different polices regarding this form, so you must check with each carrier on your itinerary!
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Basics: there are two types of portable oxygen concentrators; one type only does Pulse Dose and the other does both Pulse Dose and Continuous Flow.

When a doctor writes an order for oxygen in Liters/LPM (liters per minute), that implies Continuous Flow oxygen and not Pulse Dose. The reason for this is that LPM is literally measuring the flow of oxygen over the course of one minute. A machine that does Pulse Dose outputs the oxygen in puffs, or “on-demand.” It’s not flowing continuously, but only when the patient inhales and triggers the machine. So a Pulse Dose machine will never truly deliver liters per minute, because it is not able to. The Pulse Dose only machines give the “puffs” an arbitrary number to coincide with the size of the puff. A single puff is actually measured in terms of the volume, or size, of the puff. To clarify, think of the puff as if it were a drop of water instead. The pulse dose setting is measuring the size of the drop, as opposed to how quickly it’s running down the window pane.

A question that we hear often at AMSR is whether or not it is OK to use a Pulse Dose machine at night while sleeping. Pulse Dose machines are recommended for daytime use only. There are typically two reasons for this: 1) most people mouth-breathe when sleeping or 2) their breath is so shallow that it is not enough to trigger the machine to give them the puff. So, more than likely, the patient would not get enough O2 over the course of the night.

If a doctor wants the patient to have a POC that can be used at night, then it needs to be one that does continuous flow, which is measured in liters per minute (LPM). A unit that only Pulses should only be used while awake, with a stationary unit for night use at home.

So, if the doctor wants you or your loved one to use a Pulse Dose unit, he needs to write the prescription to indicate that; otherwise, you’ll have to get a unit that does continuous flow.

At American Medical Sales & Repair, we will always take the time to qualify our patients for the appropriate oxygen delivery device. We believe that our customer’s should always come first, because when you breathe easier, we breathe easier.

Who May attend: Any COPD Patient, Caregiver, Lung Health Professional including respiratory therapists, nurses, or anyone interested in learning more about Lung Health.

Where: Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel
1550 Court Place
Denver, Co 80202
Plaza Building, Concourse Level Plaza Ballroom (see floor diagram)

Cost: The event is free to the public. Parking will be reimbursed to all but $6. The COPD Foundation will reimburse the remaining $6 for those who request it or are in need. Lunch will be provided free of cost for all those attending. An oxygen refill station will be on site.

Times: The meet the expert session will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and consists of experts in virtually every aspect of Lung disorders. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the latest in research, clinical trials and clinical care with experts in the field. This is a great opportunity for the attendees to get many questions answered by the best in the field.

The Patient Empowerment Session runs from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm and consists of a roundtable discussion of current lung issues, specifically dealing with ways patients can become empowered and proactive on lung health issues

For those patients interested in learning more about COPD related illnesses, there will be a specific breakout room where top COPD physicians and researchers from around the country will be providing participants with up-to-date information on current COPD issues. The afternoon session will be chaired by Dr. Bart Celli an internationally known doctor and educator in the COPD field

What Is ATS: The American Thoracic Society is an organization consisting of Lung Health doctors and surgeons from all over the world. These are the people who are in the forefront of the treatment and research of lung health. The ATS holds a yearly conference, and this year has selected Denver as the venue. This is a tremendous opportunity for those in the Denver area who are interested or impacted by COPD to meet and interact with some of the world’s top professionals in the lung health field!

What is the COPD Foundation: The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The COPD Foundation has several programs dedicated to informing, empowering, educating, and engaging individuals affected by COPD, including both diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals, their families and friends, and their medical professionals.

The COPD Foundation is very pleased to partner with the American Thoracic Society in organizing this years Meet the Expert patient educational seminar.

Parking: The parking garage access is located in very close proximity to where the events will be held. There is valet parking, and the parking garage is located beneath the hotel with the elevator emptying at the ballroom. There will be a couple wheel chairs available if needed

Restrooms: All restrooms are convenient to the venue

To RSVP: please rsvp to either Bill Clark at wclark@copdfoundation.org or CWHITE@THORACIC.org . Anyone with any questions or special needs can call Bill Clark 866-791-2673

We have moved!!

American Medical Sales & Repair has relocated to its new facility in Centennial, Colorado!  Our new address is 7042 S. Revere Parkway, Suite 450, Centennial, CO 80112. Here are directions and pictures to help you find our location. Please call us with if you have any questions, 303-799-0011.

Driving directions from I-25 and Arapahoe Rd

1. Head east on E Arapahoe Rd for 2.4 mi
2. Turn right (south) at S Revere Pkwy
Destination will be on the left 0.4 mi

7042 S Revere Pkwy
Centennial, CO 80112