COVID-19 Pulse Oximetry@Home
What did we do?
In November 2020, the NHS England COVID Oximetry@home programme was launched to provide pulse oximeters for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
A pulse oximeter is a small medical device that is put on the tip of the finger, to check someone’s oxygen levels. Pulse oximeters measure blood oxygen levels by transmitting light through a finger. These allowed partients to monitor their oxygen at home and manage any risk of deterioration due to silent hypoxia (which is low oxygen levels in patients who do not show shortness of breath).
The COVID Oximetry@home pathway should have been available to people who are:
- diagnosed with COVID-19: either clinically or positive test result and
- symptomatic and either
- aged 65 years or older or
- under 65 years and at higher risk from COVID-19, or where clinical judgement applies considering individual risk factors such as pregnancy, vaccination status, learning disability, caring responsibilities and/or deprivation.
- Pregnant women being referred to a COVID Oximetry @home service should also be asked to contact their maternity team for specific advice around pregnancy and COVID-19.
We used data from the Greater Manchester Care Record to evaluate whether COVID Oximetry@home was better than usual care in keeping people healthy and out of hospital.
Why was it important?
Previous evaluations of COVID Oximetry@home presented early evidence of benefits. However, it was not strong enough to make decisions about the use of COVID Oximetry@home in the future.
How did we do it?
We used data from the Greater Manchester Care Record to compare the outcomes of people who used COVID Oximetry@home with a matched group of patients with similar characteristics who did not use it.
Findings
Findings will be available in early 2024.
Who we worked with
More information
Senior Programme Lead
Mike Spence
mike.spence@healthinnovationmanchester.com