TABLE 1.
Timelines, initiatives and details of the Home Oxygen Program (HOP) in British Columbia (BC)
| Year/date | Initiative | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Circa 1980 | HOP began in BC | Few clients, basic equipment |
| Circa 1996 | Centralized HOP: program review | Expenditures were skyrocketing; challenging to run the program efficiently in current state |
| November 1996 | Pilot project | Victoria, BC. One RRT hired to assess clients at home in place of the provider’s RRT. Remainder of BC continued in current state |
| April 22, 1999 | Recommendations to Ministry of Health | Pilot program findings in letter to Ministry of Health (35% of clients no longer eligible and were discontinued). Letter recommends regionalization of HOP across BC |
| May 2002 | Regionalization across BC | Each health authority required to operate their own HOP based on Victoria’s model; assumed existing contracts with oxygen providers; staff hired and began assessing existing clients. |
| December 2002 | Request for proposal | Provincial request for proposal; new service model based on pilot; primary and secondary provider (80%/20% of business) |
| July 2003 | Providers awarded | New contract started. Transitioned clients to successful providers |
| 2003 | Medical criteria revision | Collaborative effort across BC |
| March 2004 | VCH HOP review | All existing VCH clients were assessed; 16% fewer clients (no longer eligible and were discontinued) |
| 2007 | Medical criteria revision | Collaborative effort across BC |
| 2008 | Request for proposal | Provincial request for proposal. Primary and secondary model (70%/30%); encouraged new technology, fewer deliveries. Transitioned clients to successful providers |
| July 2008 | Providers awarded | New contract started. Transitioned clients to successful providers |
| 2012 | Medical criteria revision | Collaborative effort across BC |
| 2013 | Contract extension | Four-year term with existing providers until 2017 |
RRT Registered respiratory therapist; VCH Vancouver Coastal Health