When to consider it, who funds it, the GP's role — TSANZ-aligned. Reference for health professionals, not advice.
For long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). Eligibility requires the patient to be stable on optimal medical therapy for ≥4–6 weeks and based on arterial blood gas (ABG) on room air, not oximetry. SpO2 is for screening only.
There is no national home oxygen subsidy. Funding sits with state and territory equipment programs; eligibility, copayment and forms vary. The patient's address (not the GP's) determines the scheme. NDIS may fund for participants where it's not a "health" item.
If a deep link 404s, the state health page is the right destination — search "home oxygen" or "respiratory equipment".
Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) — ≥15 hrs/day, the only modality with mortality evidence (in severely hypoxaemic COPD). Nocturnal oxygen — for desaturation only in sleep (consider OSA workup first). Ambulatory oxygen — for those who desaturate on exertion despite resting eligibility. Palliative oxygen — for refractory dyspnoea at end of life regardless of PaO2. Short-burst oxygen for transient dyspnoea is generally not recommended — no evidence and limited funding.
A resting SpO2 of ≤92% on optimal therapy in a stable patient is a reasonable threshold to refer for ABG. SpO2 alone is not enough for funding; the state scheme application needs the PaO2 figure.
Concentrator — mains-powered, the workhorse for home use. Cylinders — backup & portable use, refilled by supplier. Portable concentrators — battery-powered, smaller flow ceiling; useful for ambulatory patients. Liquid oxygen — rarely available now in AU.
Through a state scheme, equipment supply is heavily subsidised or free; copayments vary. Electricity rebates for concentrator users exist in most states — usually applied for separately through the state energy department, not the equipment program.
Cabin pressure equivalent to ~2,400 m altitude; PaO2 drops accordingly. Patients on LTOT generally need supplemental oxygen in-flight — arrange with the airline (forms, lead time, approved devices). Hypoxic challenge testing is sometimes recommended for borderline patients.
For refractory dyspnoea at end of life, oxygen is provided regardless of PaO2 thresholds. Pathways differ: hospital outreach, community palliative care, or state scheme palliative streams. Opioids are first-line for dyspnoea in palliative care; oxygen is adjunctive when hypoxaemia is contributing.
Reference information for healthcare professionals. Direct GP prescription of home oxygen is uncommon and rarely funded — the standard pathway is respiratory specialist assessment, then ongoing GP co-management.