If you are a patient who requires oxygen supply, there are several options on the market for you to choose from. The old-fashioned way of delivering oxygen therapy was through a compressed tank, which needed to be periodically refilled with oxygen.
However, in modern times, oxygen concentrators are more accessible and affordable than ever. These machines allow you to have a permanent and ongoing supply of oxygen, as it simply converts the air around you into pure oxygen in real-time.
Various types of oxygen concentrators are available on the market. However, there are two main types: portable and non-portable oxygen concentrators. The portable kind tends to be less powerful and smaller in comparison to the larger and more powerful non-portable versions. Generally speaking, oxygen concentrators can either be bought or rented, depending on the circumstance.
Let us look at the differences between buying and renting oxygen concentrators.
Acute Or Chronic?
Some respiratory conditions are acute, while some are chronic. Chronic conditions are permanent and, in many cases, degenerative, which means that if you need oxygen therapy, you will most likely need it on an ongoing and permanent basis.
In such cases, purchasing an oxygen concentrator to own permanently might be preferable and constitute a fair investment. In general, it will save you money, hassle and stress to own one rather than struggle with oxygen tanks or the ongoing administration of rentals.
However, if you are suffering from an acute illness affecting your ability to breathe properly on a short- to medium-term basis, renting an oxygen concentrator might be preferable since you won’t need it forever.
Cost Considerations
Renting an oxygen concentrator might be a good idea if you can’t afford the upfront purchase cost or if you want to avoid the burden of preventative maintenance and general management of the device. However, as time progresses and the use of the machine continues, the rental cost can start to outstrip what it would have cost to buy. Generally speaking, this can happen within about two to three years. This must then be carefully considered in addition to the cost of maintenance, which falls on the owner. Consider the cost of replacing filters and ensuring the general upkeep of the device.
Most oxygen concentrators have a warranty lifespan of about three years, which indicates the expected lifespan of such machines before they exhibit problems or require servicing. This is important to bear in mind when opting to own a concentrator.
Downtime
Owning a machine might give you a sense of security, knowing it’s yours. However, should the machine fail unexpectedly at any stage, you could suffer extensive downtime as technicians need to look at it and carry out repairs or replacements ‒ assuming you can afford it. In the meantime, you could have a problem on your hands because you have no oxygen supply.
However, if you were renting a concentrator and a problem occurred with the machine, technicians could immediately swap it out for a new device, and you would not suffer any downtime at all. This is something you need to consider as you need to make sure that you will be able to navigate potential technical problems and maintenance issues with oxygen concentrators if you’re going to own one.
In summation, rentals are cheap in the early days and become expensive later on. However, they provide a degree of certainty because the responsibility of maintenance and upkeep falls to someone else.
We at Limitless Health supply oxygen concentrators for rent or purchase. Browse the options on our website and start breathing better today!