PR Dreamstation with modem, anyone?

So I got a Dreamstation today from my DME and to my surprise it has the modem! According to them it is a cellular modem so no WiFi needed, who pays the bill?
The thing is, I am not really sure how good is it for me or what difference it makes, since apparently the only benefit of having the modem is if you need close follow up therapy by the physician or the DME in order to sell you more supplies

The DME said I can monitor my data from the cloud but I did not have time to login yet and I was expecting the Bluetooth model to use with my android phone.

I am trying to research some info about this modem thing but so far I found nothing.
So if anybody here has any experience with the Dreamstation plus modem, please pitch in!

Thanks!!

The Dreamstation comes with Bluetooth and a Cellular Modem.

The software you use to read the limited data is called Dreammapper.
https://www.mysleepmapper.com/Account/LogOn

You need to log in and setup your account to use it.

There is also an iPhone and Android app which will look at the same limited data. I assume it gets it from the same Internet source as the online site.

Hawk600 wrote:The DME said I can monitor my data from the cloud but I did not have time to login yet and I was expecting the Bluetooth model to use with my android phone.
Thanks!!

I have the Dreamstation, and cannot monitor data from the cloud -- only via Bluetooth and DreamMapper. The cellular modem is only used by the DME to monitor usage, to my understanding.

Hbark wrote:

Hawk600 wrote:The DME said I can monitor my data from the cloud but I did not have time to login yet and I was expecting the Bluetooth model to use with my android phone.
Thanks!!

I have the Dreamstation, and cannot monitor data from the cloud -- only via Bluetooth and DreamMapper. The cellular modem is only used by the DME to monitor usage, to my understanding.

Even if you don't use Bluetooth once a day the Dreamstation will transmit the data via the modem so you can see it on DreamMapper. You can even set the time of this transmission by forcing the transmission.

I set up an account on my computer on the sleepmapper web site online. Then I synced an app on my iPhone to my DreamStation to get my information by wireless on an iPhone app. The DreamStation digital display and the app give slightly different information. If I recall correctly as I am not home, the DreamStation display shows mask fit%, total AHI, therapy usage time and 90% pressure rate. This is just in the patient information mode. The app gives mask fit%, therapy usage time, number of disconnects and AHI. However, the app shows the AHI details of numbers of clear apneas, obstructive apneas and hyponeas. Not much detail but all the information that I assume the company thinks the patient needs or wants.

I was told by the DME that the cellular feature was strictly for the insurance company to monitor compliance. The Bluetooth feature is used for data transmission to the Dreammapper program which I run on a tablet. I'm a new CPAP user and this is what I understand. I was also told that I will take the SD card to the sleep doc for my 3 month eval.

Soosecip wrote:I was told by the DME ... I'm a new CPAP user and this is what I understand.

well, since you're new, here's a word of advice...

don't trust anything your DME tells you, VERIFY it before you believe it.

or, as the best advice one of the other forum members gives out "if it's midnight and your DME says it's dark outside, go check for yourself".

in other words, what your DME told you is *wrong*, the dreamstations transmit full data which is available to doctors and DMEs that subscribe to respironics service.

or, at least, that's what a doctor told me when I asked what he could see of the transmitted data.

+1

The reason modems are needed is not to sell you supplies, but to have the DME and or physician monitor your usage for compliance purposes and most importantly it gives the physician access to data of not just the usage but the AHI and mask leaks, central apneas, pressure setting if somebody has those at the tip of their hands this believe it or not helps you given that the doctor can notice a that you have leaks or that pressure you are set on is not adequate because it shows some residual apneas and he or his team can change pressures,recommend a chinstrap, etc, to achieve a better result in treatment , without you having to go personally to the dame company and have it change, or have to go to the doctor's office.

Granted if you are Medicare you will have to (by Medicare rules not the doctors believe when you are Medicare patient and have to once a year to see the doctor the doctor is loosing money on that visit) see the doctor .
More about this and why : Big nationwide DME companies like those that used to advertise in tv will sent supplies like clockwork even if patient was not using the cpap anymore ( at the time orders from the doctors were not needed and once you were in cpap by maybe a local DME ,this nationwide companies had a way to find out and they either solicited or advertise it in tv and that was a serial waste of our healthcare dollars.
That is why Medicare again not the doctors requires that you see your doctor once a year so the doctor verify that you are using the machine by asking you and more accurately to see the download of the usage, which is another step if there is the cpap does not have modem that takes time from the staff at the doctors office trying to get you to go to the DME and the DME faxed the download , and THAT IS WHY A MODEM SAVES TIME FOR BOTH THE PATIENT SND MEDICAL STAFF AND IS MORE ACCURATE WAY TO MONITOR YOUE USAGE AND MAKE CHANGES AS NEEDED!

When patients understand better their treatment / insurance requirements better that they understand they cell phone buying or car buying experience than is when misunstandings about this will help to have a better outcome in patients care.

Guest wrote: Even if you don't use Bluetooth once a day the Dreamstation will transmit the data via the modem so you can see it on DreamMapper. You can even set the time of this transmission by forcing the transmission.

This will only happen if your DME is still monitoring you for compliance. Mine isn't so my current values won't show online unless I use the Bluetooth transfer on my phone which in turns uploads the data.

Can a wifi modem be used as a cellular modem?

Guest wrote:Can a wifi modem be used as a cellular modem?

No

Hawk600 wrote:So I got a Dreamstation today from my DME and to my surprise it has the modem! According to them it is a cellular modem so no WiFi needed, who pays the bill?
The thing is, I am not really sure how good is it for me or what difference it makes, since apparently the only benefit of having the modem is if you need close follow up therapy by the physician or the DME in order to sell you more supplies

The DME said I can monitor my data from the cloud but I did not have time to login yet and I was expecting the Bluetooth model to use with my android phone.

I am trying to research some info about this modem thing but so far I found nothing.
So if anybody here has any experience with the Dreamstation plus modem, please pitch in!

Thanks!!

I would just get Sleepyhead, it shows much more info.
Neither DME or Sleep Dr. monitor my machine over the cellular that I am aware of. The DME leaves it to the Dr. to do that and the Dr. always downloads my data from the SD card. When my Sleep Dr. changes my prescrip. settings my DME makes the changes via Cellular. Last time my Prescrip. changed the DME made the wrong changes is how I know. I would advise you to get a Clinician's manual if you haven't already in case the screw up like mine did. I totally do not trust my DME.