Home Long-Term Oxygen Therapy (LTOT): Increasing the Adherence to Home LTOT
Care Process & Redesign
National Healthcare Group Quality Improvement
National Healthcare Group
24 December 2025
To increase the percentage of patients admitted under RCCM who are discharged to home on LTOT who demonstrate adequate. The interventions and strategies implemented were effective in improving compliance and achieving cost savings.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 24 December 2025
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Cost Saving, Quality Improvement, Adherence Rate, Safe Care, Productivity
About this Content
Aims
To increase the percentage of patients admitted under RCCM who are discharged to home on LTOT who demonstrate adequate compliance at 1-week following hospital discharge from 56.3% to 80% (stretch goal: 90%) over the next 6 months.
Background
Long-term oxygen therapy is an established treatment to prolong survival along patients with chronic, severe resting hypoxemia. For maximal benefits, it is recommended to be used at least 15 hours/day.
Methods
Interventions included using Epic Smartphrase to standardize the home LTOT prescription and ensuring it is in the discharge summary. Strategies to sustain improvements involved education and process simplification.
Results
Compliance improved from a pre-intervention median of 56.3% to a post-intervention median of 88.9%. Potential cost avoided per year was significant.
Conclusion
The interventions and strategies implemented were effective in improving compliance and achieving cost savings.
Lessons Learnt
Incorporating education of rotating junior staff and simplifying data collection processes were key strategies.
Additional Information
Sponsors were Adj A/Prof Puah Ser Hon and Mr Christopher Ng Thong Lian. Mentors included Adj Asst Prof Justina Tan Wei Lynn.
Keywords
LTOT, RCCM, compliance, oxygen therapy, cost savings
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Tan Tock Seng Hospital |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Group Quality Improvement |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Allied Health |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Respiratory Therapy |
Project Lead(s) | Audrey Lee Jia Yi |
Project Member(s) | Coliat Cheila May Dizon |
Connect with this contributor!
Group Quality - nhggroup.QRM@nhghealth.com.sg