Latest News

Posted By Laura Frederick
August 18, 2021 Category: OxySafe, OxySafe2, Thermal Shut Off, Oxygen Safety, Medical Oxygen

Westlake, OH – August 18, 2021 – Applied Home Healthcare Equipment, a long-trusted resource for oxygen filling, technical and regulatory support for DME and HME providers, has announced the release of their newest model of their popular thermal shut-off device OxySafe2™.   The new version provides two directional protection against oxygen fires caused by patients smoking, using candles, stove-top ranges or other open flames while receiving oxygen therapy. Such fires are particularly prevalent in situations where oxygen therapy is provided in the home environment where there is limited patient supervision, though it may occur in environments like healthcare facilities and nursing homes. Jim Christ General Manager of Applied Home Healthcare Equipment said “OxySafe has always been an important and reliable device for our providers who want to protect their patients from the dangers of home oxygen fires. We are excited to introduce this product line improvement to the OxySafe in order to help in the mitigation of oxygen fires.”    OxySafe2 is a thermal fuse designed to stop the flow of gas in the event that the downstream cannula or supply tube is ignited, and will meet VA, ISO and other regulatory requirements. With OxySafe2, the PVC tube is inclined to extinguish because PVC will not normally burn in air—offering healthcare providers a cost-effective solution to lower the risk of serious patient injury in a dangerous oxyg

Posted By Laura Frederick
August 03, 2021 Category: General

Applied and OxyGo are now members of Big Sky

Posted By Laura Frederick
October 28, 2020 Category: General

Drivers, respiratory therapists, warehouse personnel, and others who handle compressed gas cylinders should do so using the proper equipment to ensure safe movement of the

Posted By Laura Frederick
September 09, 2020 Category: General

Start getting more from you oxygen business with Applied's liquid to gas and gas to gas

Posted By Laura Frederick
August 10, 2020 Category: COVID 19, Cleaning, Disinfecting, Oxygen Service, Chemicals

With the number of maintenance chemicals and standards out there, it can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out what's the right chemical to use on your equipment.  There are two types of cleaning that are pertinent for oxygen equipment, cleaning and disinfecting with oxygen compatible cleaners and cleaning equipment for oxygen service.  1. Cleaning with oxygen-compatible cleaners  Oxygen can react with any residue, particles, dirt, oil, grease or other contaminants that are left on the surface of equipment which is in direct contact with oxygen, such as the cylinder valve or surface. The body of a cylinder or a regulator for example, should be cleaned with chemicals that will leave no residue behind that may cause an interaction with oxygen that may result in combustion.  2. Cleaning equipment for oxygen service  Surfaces that come into direct contact with oxygen, such as the valve opening on a cylinder, the inside of a cylinder or an oxygen connection must not only be cleaned with an oxygen compatible cleaner, but also with special equipment and processes to ensure that the surface has no particles left behind. If there are even small particles on the wetted surfaces such as the valve, the speed of the oxygen flowing through the valve, could ignite the particles. The

Posted By Laura Frederick
April 07, 2020 Category: General

When filling medical oxygen cylinders it is critically important now more than ever to perform pre-fill odor testing as part of the required nine (9) pre-fill checks.  We wanted clarify and stress the importance of the absolute safety and regulatory requirement of pre-fill odor testing every medical oxygen and air cylinder prior to filling.    The latest USP 99 monograph dropped the requirement for post filling odor testing, however we strongly recommend continuing to perform the post odor testing as well.  Please review the pre-fill steps below and ensure you are following this cGMP requirement. Pre-Fill Inspection  Verify hydrostatic test date is current Aluminum cylinders must be within 5 years Steel cylinders must be within 10 years if star is present Verify correct cylinder color In United States oxygen color is green In Canada and many other countries oxygen color is white Perform hammer test on steel cylinder only.  Aluminum cylinders are exempt. Strike outside of cylinder with a hammer and listen for ringing or bell sound Perform visual inspection of the cylinder body Ensure no external damage or any type of residue on the cylinder Perform visual inspection of the cylinder valve Ensure no external damage or any type of residue on the valve Perform a label examination Ensure a product label exists and that it is not damaged If damaged or unreadab

Posted By Laura Frederick
February 24, 2020 Category: OxyGo, Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, Training Education

Portable oxygen concentrators, or POCs, are lightweight medical devices that dispense oxygen while being highly portable.  They allow those prescribed medical oxygen to carry their own oxygen supply with them wherever they go, eliminating dependence on bulky and heavy oxygen tanks. The lightest POC on the market, the OxyGo FIT, weighs just 2.8 pounds. In the past decade POCs have made an enormous contribution to the effectiveness of oxygen delivery therapy.  They are easier for patients to use and less expensive for providers to service. Before their development, patients needing oxygen at home depended on heavy oxygen tanks to dispense their oxygen.  They were tethered to these tanks and could not leave home easily. Their only option to get out of the house was to attach themselves to smaller oxygen tanks on wheels and drag those tanks around with them.  Such tanks can still be used today but they are obtrusive, call attention to the person using them and have restrictions as to where they can be taken. POCs have become an oxygen patient’s gateway to freedom.  They do this by making their own oxygen from the air around them. POCs often enable oxygen patients to enjoy activities and exercises that were difficult or not possible while using oxygen tanks.  This gives these patients a welcome sense of freedom that enhances their quality of life.  Studies show that POCs help patients live longer lives by promoting mobility and exercise

Posted By Laura Frederick
September 17, 2019 Category: Oxygen, Oxygen Safety

The true death toll of home oxygen fires across the United States is likely to be higher than previous estimates by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a new study - The prevalence and impact of home oxygen fires in the USA – has revealed.  The study examines media reports of home oxygen fire incidents in the US between December 2017 and August 2019. It identifies news reports on 311 separate home oxygen fires over a 20-month period. These incidents resulted in a total of 164 deaths, 71 serious injuries, and 119 minor injuries, which amounts to more than one death every four days.  Exploding cylinders are referenced in a third of all reported home oxygen fires, posing a significant risk to third parties, including the emergency services. In fact, 11 of the reported deaths were third parties including family members and other residents. A firefighter also fell victim to a home oxygen fire when a propane tank exploded. This new data points towards a material public health problem in the US. Home oxygen fires represent a much higher risk in the United States than the UK, where stakeholders work together to reduce risk and where the fitting of oxygen firebreaks (also known as thermal fuses) is mandatory. In fact, an American oxygen user is 10 times more likely to die in a home oxygen fire than in Japan, and 20 times more likely than in England, Although the statistics are already worryingly high, it is likely that they

Posted By Laura Frederick
August 29, 2019 Category: Oxygen, Oxygen Safety, Industry News

  Hurricane Season is here - are you and your patients prepared?     • Hurricane season in the Southeastern United States runs from June 1 through November 30, but peaks from mid-late August through September • Hurricanes can cause massive damage to roadways, which makes it very hard to access patients • Power outages can cause patients to not be able to charge important medical devices such as their POC's With power outages being a common occurrence during hurricanes many patients have no way to charge medical devices.  Ensuring the patients have a way to change their POC's battery and having extra battery life can help tremendously during such stressful times. We have assembled the following kits for those in hurricane paths to be able to provide to a patient. Please see the kits below for all of the members of the OxyGo family to help your patients keep going!  We have also included a checklist to make sure patients are as prepared as they can be. Click here to download our one page checklist for patient preparedness.   OxyGo FIT Hurricane Bundle PN: H-OFR-2000-KIT Includes: • OxyGo FIT 4.5 hour battery* • OxyGo FIT External Battery Charger • OxyGo FIT DC Power Supply • OxyGo FIT AC Power Supply   OxyGo Hurricane Bundle  PN: H-OFR-1000-KIT Includes: • OxyGo 10 hour battery* • OxyGo External Battery Charger • DC Power Sup

Posted By Laura Frederick
July 15, 2019 Category: Business, General, Industry News, Regulatory Compliance

With the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program competitive bid window opening July 16, it’s time to make sure you’re on track to submit your bids before the bid window closes September 18. HomeCare asked Cara Bachenheimer, who chairs the government affairs practice at Brown & Fortunato, to share the basics before Round