Regarding Rumors of New Hybrid Parts

[johnnygoodman]

Greetings CPAPtalkers,

I recently received this and am passing it along:

A notice from RespCare, Inc.: We wanted to write to you about a few items concerning our Hybrid Interface. We wanted to inform you that our stock of Hybrids is the current version of the Hybrid and no upgraded versions have been introduced into the market. Specifically, there is no new version of the Shell or of the Headgear for sale. We wanted to share this with you since there were a few postings stating that new versions of these components are available.

The source of some of these postings came from a few select users, who had contacted us directly at our customer service, that were evaluating a few Beta samples for us. These individuals were informed that these were samples only (not for sale). We are not conducting any more Beta evaluations and these samples are no longer available.

Javier Collazo
Director of Engineering
RespCare, Inc. and InnoMed Technologies, Inc.

[bdp522]

When I contacted innomed I was told that they were aware of the problem with the old headgear and had a new improved version to send me. I received it 2 days later. There is NO question that the new headgear is available! I was NOT told that it was a Beta sample!

Brenda

[Sleepless in St. Louis]

IF I'm reading between the lines correctly, I think the beta was referring to the new insert, not the headgear. If they are not shipping the new head gear with units they are making now, the company is making a mistake in my opinion. This mask has so much potential, but the original headgear is nothing short of a POC. My hybrid will get thrown on the junk heap if the new headgear they are sending me does not improve the usability and stability of this mask. Right now, I'm sorry to say, the mask is a trainwreck without proper headgear.

Tim

[bdp522]

Specifically, there is no new version of the Shell or of the Headgear for sale.

This is the line I was responding to.

Brenda

[Maryb]

thanks to Johnny for the update.

I called them last week to request new headgear because of the velcro problem on the top strap. Yesterday, I received a new headgear from them but it was only the same old headgear but with a velcro fix at the top.The velcro fix worked really well last night but I was really disappointed not to get the new headgear that a few people on this forum have been raving about (how it's thicker and stays put).

I don't find the current headgear at all comfortable and it's flimsy. I can either have it looser which is more comfortable and then it leaks or I can really tighten it up which isn't comfortable at all but then it doesn't leak.
I intend to call them this morning. But after Johnny's update, I don't have much hope that I'll be able to get that "beta" version.

Maryb

[ladytonya]

I called last Thursday and received my new headgear Monday. Nobody told me it was any kind of Beta or anything. They only had me tell them about the problems I was having with the old one. I was on the phone for about 2 minutes and had a new headgear in a few days. They didn't even ask me where I heard about getting a new headgear, they just asked for my name and address. The new headgear is thicker and much more comfortable. It is not only thicker, the straps are slightly wider and the material seems stretchier. Anyway, this all seems very strange to me. I hope they aren't going to backtrack on this great customer service now that they've been inundated with calls from all of us at cpaptalk!

[Maryb]

I just called them and it was much harder to get through to someone who knew something. The guy I talked to didn't know much about it and had to go search out someone who did and then call me back.
However, he did followup quickly and call me back within 10 minutes.
He gave me the same info that Johnny told us: that those were beta versions and/or samples to be tested. When I said that the people who got them weren't informed that they were testing the headgear and weren't asked to send feedback, he didn't have any reply to that.
He did say that they are actively working on it and are going to be coming out with new headgear (which will be available for purchase) soon. He didn't have any time frame for when. So all we can do is wait and watch out for the new headgear to come on the market.

Meanwhile, for me I'm going to have to hang in there with the old version (but with the new velcro fix). If I don't hear anything within a few weeks, I'm going to radically modify the headgear and/or adapt headgear from another mask.



Maryb

[chdurie2]

i also was not told these were beta samples or that they were only available to a few users. key words in the Resp. Care/Innomed message are "for sale." No one suggested that I or any other user pay for these parts.

I called and asked if it was true that new headgear was available. Yes. Can I get one? Certainly. What is your name and address? After getting that done, I asked whether there was anything I could do about the problems I was experiencing with the hybrid. I was transferred to a product specialist or someone of similar title. He suggested that a new shell they had might help with leaks and low pressure. He also suggested changing pillow sizes/position. I asked about a couple of fixes I had heard about here. He said those would be on the bottom of the list of what he would suggest for me. He said to try the headgear and new shell, and if that didn't work, to call back.

No beta. no samples. No money need change hands. Only that they had the headgear and shell. No request to report back with their success or failure.

Great service, knowledge and caring. I received the new shell and headgear today--I called on Thursday or Friday, I forget which.

Caroline

[NANCYGIRL]

I CALLED ABOUT AN ISSUE WITH HEADGEAR LAST WEEK AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEND ME A DIFFERENT HEADGEAR TO CHECK OUT. I ASKED ABOUT PAYMENT AND THEY SAID IT WAS A SAMPLE. THEY TOOK MY NAME AND NUMBER AND THAT THEY MAY CALL ME BACK. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT I COULD CALL BACK TO COMMENT OR IF I HAD ISSUES STILL. THE'RE VERY NICE. I READ SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT THEY'RE COMPANY WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF A HURRICANE SO I AM SURPRISED THAT YOU REACHED SOMEONE.

[oldgearhead]

I called the customer service number (it's in your manual). Then I
complained about the headgear velcro. I received the new and improved
headgear, two days later.

btw - The new headgear is much better than the old. If the angle of attachment was closer to 180 degrees, it would look just like the HC431
headgear.

[Goofproof]

Maybe Resmed bought the company. Jim

[chdurie2]

someone from their midwest office just called me about another question i had on the mask; this guy was referred by customer service. he stressed that the company is just a handful of people, and it turns out that the person customer service put me on with the other day is the designer of the mask. he didn't know about the new shell but he did ask me to send him or call him with feedback on it.

so since we're getting such great attentiion from this company, and it turns out that these new things are samples, even though it may not have been communicated correctly, i think the least we can do is call back or write them with feedback on the new parts we have received. i intend to do so, and i think everyone who has received them should do the same.

Caroline

[oldgearhead]

I suspect the one I have is a prototype, for two reasons:

1) It doesn't have any label on it.

2) They did get my contact information. However, they may not need to
contact us, because they can tell from these posts; The new headgear is
a winner..

[Sleepless in St. Louis]

I'll give them feedback if they happen to send me the upgraded gear. I think I'll give them even more feedback if they don't!!

[chdurie2]

the national marketing manager for hybrid just called me in response to a question i posed to customer service. he asked me to call him or email him with my feedback on the shell. so since it appears that at least the new shell is a sample, although that may not have been communicated by telephone, i think that those of us lucky enough to be able to try the new parts should call or write innomed with our feedback. the customer service office today is indeed closed because of hurricaine.

and yes, innomed personnel may indeed be reading the posts on this board, since the marketing manager did mention that the designer said at least some of those who received samples were from cpaptalk.com. but not everyone feels comfortable enough to post their feedback, positive or negative. since innomed is giving us great service and is responsive to our questions or problems, the message that johnny posted above could be interpreted as a request for feedback.


Caroline