By providing telemedicine, more respiratory patients will be able to receive the help and education they need in order to maintain healthier lifestyles while dealing with their disease.

A more thorough integration of telemedicine and remote patient care for the future is not far on the horizon. In terms of the future of respiratory therapy, many companies are striving to create closed-loop ventilators - ventilators that will monitor breathing and will respond automatically if a problem occurs. It is believed that new developments will be made in the future for long-term respiratory patients. "There is a greater demand for products and people to continue to improve the quality of life for long term ventilator patients in the home," says Bill Rosas of Midwest Biomedical Recourses.


Currently, the biggest challenges facing the respiratory industry are finance and economic recovery. The demand for respiratory products is very strong, yet the industry faces the issue of how customers are going to pay for equipment. The economic downturn has "made refurbished products more attractive to buyers both in the domestic and international markets," says John Wittenberg of Inventory Solutions, Inc. He adds, "Buyers are seeing that they can get excellent quality and warranties as well as discounted prices from reputable resellers."

Judy Engle, RRT/RCPT and owner of Frontier Medical adds, "Every market is different, but the economy has slowed down and put a hold on purchasing new equipment due mostly to lack of budget."

With advancements constantly being made in respiratory technology, today's new respiratory equipment can run anywhere from $10,000 to $14,000. In the refurbished market, equipment can be as much as 50% less expensive. John Wittenberg says, "The main thing is that the refurbished equipment industry is becoming more mature; people know they can get really high quality equipment that comes with paperwork indicating it will last. It changes the face of the industry."

Inventory Solutions, Inc. specializes in the sale of refurbished respiratory equipment like ventilators, pulse oximeters, sleep products, concentrators, patient monitors, phototherapy, apnea monitors and liquid oxygen. He adds, "We don't look at one particular product selling. If someone needs something, we want to have it patient-ready and on the shelf in order to get our product to them quickly."




It seems that despite the downward turn of the economy, the respiratory equipment sector is doing well. However, as a result of Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement cutbacks and adjustments, changes will occur. Ken Johnston told DOTmed, "Right now, in home oxygen delivery, reimbursement systems in Medicare/Medicaid are about $140 plus per month and $70 per month for portable oxygen."

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