For patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as emphysema, simple exertions like climbing a flight of stairs can cause debilitating shortness of breath. Not being able to do simple daily tasks like this, let alone activities such as shopping, travelling or walking, is hugely frustrating. But for COPD patients who need oxygen, there’s one resource that can be life-changing – a portable oxygen concentrator (POC).
In the last few years, POCs have become hugely popular with users, clinicians and providers. Their lightness and portability enable patients to manage their condition and remain active both in the home and out and about. Being lighter, they’re also less expensive for providers to deliver than conventional options like liquid oxygen (LOX) systems and compressed oxygen cylinders.
These benefits are causing rising demand. The POC market is expected to grow from nearly $949m in 2016 to an estimated $2.9bn by 2023. But it isn’t
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