News release

Contracts Awarded to New Home Oxygen Service Providers

Health and Wellness

The province will save more than half a million dollars a year through a new process for choosing home oxygen providers, while ensuring the same quality service for clients.

The Department of Health and Wellness issued a request for proposals earlier this year to save money and to make the process of contracting with vendors more open and transparent.

The province will save $340,000 this fiscal year and about $590,000 a year, beginning in 2012-13, as a result of setting a competitive price, decreasing the cost for services rendered.

"We want Nova Scotians to receive good health care at an appropriate and reasonable cost to taxpayers," said Maureen MacDonald, Minister of Health and Wellness. "Home oxygen is a vital service to many seniors in this province and we want to be able to continue providing it to them."

As a result of the new process, some clients will change home oxygen providers, and all clients will have a minimum of two choices of providers. All clients will continue to receive the same quality and level of service at no additional cost.

Nova Scotia has about 1,200 home oxygen users, mostly seniors. Many are fully publicly funded, and saving money without affecting patient care is a vital condition of providing service.

The successful bidders were chosen based on meeting program requirements and financial arrangements as outlined in the request for proposals process. All companies who bid were expected to provide a plan for patients to change providers. The following are the successful bidders in each district:

  • South Shore Health: Rana Respiratory Care Group and Respiratory Therapy Specialists
  • South West Health: Family 1st Medical and Medigas
  • Annapolis Valley Health, Rana Respiratory Care Group and Respiratory Therapy Specialists
  • Colchester East Hants Health: Rana Respiratory Care Group and Respiratory Therapy Specialists
  • Cumberland Health Authority: Family 1st Medical and Medigas
  • Pictou County Health: Respiratory Therapy Specialists and Vitalaire Healthcare
  • Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority: Medigas and Vitalaire Healthcare
  • Cape Breton Health Authority: Family 1st Medical, Medigas and Vitalaire Healthcare
  • Capital Health: Medigas, Rana Respiratory Care Group and Respiratory Therapy Specialists