The BreatheLink platform allows patients to transmit overnight oximetry data from their own smartphones, reducing the time required to set up home oxygen therapy.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Patient-Led Data Transmission: The mobile platform enables patients to download and transmit overnight oximetry results from their own smartphones, eliminating the need for device retrieval or manual data pulling by staff.
- Reduced Operational Overhead: A pilot location reported a 75% reduction in overnight oximetry overhead by removing the need for technician home visits and physical device returns.
- Revenue Protection: By accelerating data turnaround, the platform helps providers complete oxygen therapy setups within the 30-day Medicare window, which can increase referrals and protect revenue.
Breathe LLC has launched BreatheLink, a mobile platform that allows patients to download overnight oximetry data directly to their smartphones, according to the company.
The platform was developed to address feedback from durable medical equipment (DME) providers regarding delays in oximetry turnaround times. Under Medicare guidelines, DME providers have a 30-day window from the date of an overnight oximetry test to complete a patient setup for oxygen therapy. Delays in retrieving devices or manual data processing can reduce the time available to obtain physician orders and finish the setup process, Breathe LLC says.
“The biggest shift with BreatheLink is that the patient performs the data download from the oximeter themselves, right from their own phone — the DME no longer has to send a tech out or bring the device back in to pull the data,” said Amber Yeager, owner of Breathe LLC.
The BreatheLink platform is compatible with Apple iOS and Android devices. It allows patients to transmit results from home, which eliminates the need for technicians to retrieve devices or for patients to ship equipment back to the provider. According to the company, this process can reduce the need for repeat testing by surfacing data sooner, allowing providers to identify invalid tests before proceeding to the next step.
Breathe LLC reported that a pilot location reduced its overnight oximetry overhead by 75% using the platform. Faster turnaround times may also help providers gain a competitive advantage with referring physicians.
“Because their referring physicians are getting test data back faster than what the physicians see from competing DMEs, they’re expecting more orders to come their way,” said Yeager. “That’s the whole point — faster turnaround turns into more referrals and more revenue.”
The platform is currently available to all Breathe DME clients.
