Smart Card Questionnaire

Yoga · Post by **Yoga** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:46 am

Has your Sleep Doc or DME ever looked at the Smart Card from your Cpap machine?

Neither my Sleep Doc or DME has ever requested to review my Smart Card.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:26 am

Hi ,

You know I was wondering about all the gadgets and software out there. It seems that if I were a sleep Dr. I would have the programs for all of the popular cpap. I'd ask the patient to bring their cpap to the office at their appointment and I would download the data. Is this done anyplace? Dont need the smart card. if you had the cpap there with you they could make adjustments and verify it before you went home. But I guess that makes to much sense and eliminates the middle man DMEs

My answer is no. The smart card was just to sell you something else that you dont need. Profit before the patient

TaTa,

Irving

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:42 am

Hi "Irving",

The whole reason Respironics spent a whole bunch of R&D $$$ on "the smart card" feature is because aparently we hoseheads lie to our Docs about whether or not we are using our machines. This feature was meant to allow Docs to verify our dishonesty. Problem is Docs have no interest in being a Cop otherwise they would have joined the force instead of spending 8 years in medical school.

Respironics should spend their time and $$$ on making a mask that is functional enough to use. Then maybe our "dishonesty" would not be necessary.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:42 am

Hi ,
I agree Wader. We don't need another cop. Irving had a point. What we need is docs that actually look at the data themselves and not leave it to a tech that might not know as much about it as the patient.. Sure would be nice to get all this done in one place . Until that happens it looks like smart cards are just a marketing tool. I'd rather have a comfortable mask that doesn't leak.

Waverly

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:10 pm

waverly wrote:Irving had a point.

Waverly,

That Irving is a smart guy... Listen to everything he has to say.

Watch out for chrisp though, he'll have you laughing so hard you won't be able to type.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:45 am

hey waverly,

What we need is docs that actually look at the data themselves and not leave it to a tech that might not know as much about it as the patient

Maybe the docs don't know as much about it as the patient, either.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 5:07 pm

That may be correct Rested Gal . I'd rather it wasn't true. I kind if hold out hope that the doc should know more than the patient. .

CAVU,
Fly GUY

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 5:12 pm

If we've learned anything from our discussions on this forum is that the only one we can count on to KNOW what's best for "the patient" is ourselves.

A lesson well learned by many.

IllinoisRRT · Post by **IllinoisRRT** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 10:05 am

wading thru the muck! wrote:Hi "Irving",

The whole reason Respironics spent a whole bunch of R&D $$$ on "the smart card" feature is because aparently we hoseheads lie to our Docs about whether or not we are using our machines. This feature was meant to allow Docs to verify our dishonesty.

Just a comment from "the other side", I do have several patients that DO lie about using their CPAP (or their oxygen, or their nebs, what have you). I don't use the Smart Cards very much (because the most feasible way for me to keep tabs on them is to exchange cards through the mail and I REALLY don't trust the mail!), but most machines will have hour meters on them anyway. I think we have had one case where an hour meter really hasn't worked, but most of the time they do. So if there's distrust coming from your MD or DME, it's not because they don't trust YOU per se, but they've probably been lied to before!

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:24 pm

Hi Christine,

I really appreciate when you "chime in" on the forum. You are right about the lying, I didn't mean to suggest that patients don't. In fact, based on how many people you see that discontinue therapy, I think the number may be rather large. My point is that I think the Docs/RRTs would prefer not to be the cpap "cop". Everybody involved would be better focusing on "how can I make this experience one you can be comfortable with" rather than "there's nothing wrong with your equipment why aren't you using it."

I question the motives of a company that would spend R&D money is such a manner.