Ideal CPAP equipment, designed for end-users, for XMas

[Erin_Belli]

For Christmas, I would like CPAP manufacturers to design equipment solely for an end-user, and not a DME tech. The following is what I’d like to see in such equipment:

1. A backlightable LED display that can be read in dim light.
2. An LED display that shows daily and average AHI and leak data over a six month period. Compliance data not necessary.
3. An LED display that shows real-time readouts of mask leak rates.
4. A quick and easy way to change CPAP pressure, so that a groggy, sleepy person can adjust it in the middle of the night with one reach of a hand.
5. Software that is easy to install, easy to use, and that doesn’t hog memory or disk space. Designed for one patient, rather than an entire clinic’s worth.
6. 1st party software that provides charts showing daily and average AHI and leak data over any selected date range covering the past year or more. Compliance data not necessary.
7. A heated humidifier that shuts off automatically when the water level gets too low.
8. A flashing alarm that blinks after any session where AHI or leaks exceed a preselected limit.

I don’t think this is asking for much. I hope Santa will whisper in the ear of a CPAP designer, and tell the designer to start listening to end-users, and start ignoring the DME’s.

[Slinky]

For Christmas, I would like CPAP manufacturers to design equipment solely for an end-user, and not a DME tech. The following is what I’d like to see in such equipment:

1. A backlightable LED display that can be read in dim light.
2. An LED display that shows daily and average AHI and leak data over a six month period. Compliance data not necessary.
3. An LED display that shows real-time readouts of mask leak rates.
4. A quick and easy way to change CPAP pressure, so that a groggy, sleepy person can adjust it in the middle of the night with one reach of a hand.
5. Software that is easy to install, easy to use, and that doesn’t hog memory or disk space. Designed for one patient, rather than an entire clinic’s worth.
6. 1st party software that provides charts showing daily and average AHI and leak data over any selected date range covering the past year or more. Compliance data not necessary.
7. A heated humidifier that shuts off automatically when the water level gets too low.
8. A flashing alarm that blinks after any session where AHI or leaks exceed a preselected limit.

I don’t think this is asking for much. I hope Santa will whisper in the ear of a CPAP designer, and tell the designer to start listening to end-users, and start ignoring the DME’s.

AMEN!!!! But, of course, to the CPAP designers end-user input isn't of any interest, all the end-users do is BUY the equipment. Its the sleep labs and DMEs who determine the need for the equipment, provide the NECESSARY script for purchase of the equipment and provide the equipment. For the most part all the sleep lab or DME is interested in IS compliance so that they get PAID. So no incentive there for seeking end-user input.

Resmed does come closest w/numbers 1 & 2. And they do a pretty good job w/numbers 5 & 6 "IF" you can get past the hassle of getting their software and reader. But Resmed has PROVEN their lack of any interest in or concern for the end-user w/their recent/current selling and pricing policy.

It might be interesting to know more about the equipment and software from the other CPAP manufacturers than Respironics and Resmed. I know I'd like to know more about what the others offer regarding the information their LED displays and software provide.

[Snoredog]

I sure hope Respironics design engineers are not part of that design committee, when it comes to LED and lighting I don't think they have never slept in the dark. You would think they could pull one of those 300-watt button LED's from the button and put it next to the LCD display to back light it, but Nooooo that would be too easy.

That M series machine blue LED's are cool in the daytime but absolutely worthless in the dark, they light up the whole stinking room! Maybe they could tweak it so it displayed your real time stats on the ceiling like those projection digital clocks, the LED's are sure bright enough. I have a Sharper Image Quadra it also has that high-tech blue LED it did the same thing, so I put black electrical tape over it.

As for the pressure change thingee request, they already have that in Ramp on the Respironics machines, if you hit the Ramp button it will automatically drop the pressure back down to Min. settings, on the M series you can have it drop lower than the set Min. pressure (you can have Min=9cm and then have Ramp drop to 6cm when you hit the Ramp button).

As for the software aspect, I think these machines should just have a SD card slot like your digital camera has, so you can go down to Best Buy or where ever and get any SD memory card and slap it in the slot where the machine dumps the nightly data to it, you want a years worth of data? you buy a higher memory capacity card. There is no software (they can't write very good software anyway, they have already proven that). You want reports? you put the SD card in any computer SD interface and read it. Most laptops now come with a SD card slot, if not a reader can be found for under $20 bucks. None of this clinical use only BS, give the patient what they need and want.

I would sure like to see Puritan Bennett upgrade its little 420E, maybe add the SD card slot and do away with the serial port, add some missing features like autoRamp and maybe a Cflex like exhale relief feature, if PB simply licensed Cflex technology from Respironics and added that, they'd sell a ton of those little machines.

[Erin_Belli]

Snoredog wrote:

As for the pressure change thingee request, they already have that in Ramp

Yeh, that's true, but I'd like a feature to easily and quickly turn UP the cm. Reason is, sometimes I get congested, and with the nasal cushion interface, I find myself needing a little extra pressure to blow through the congestion. If I could just reach over a turn a little knob . . .

[apneaicinisrael]

GREAT!
I think we should re-title this thread "IF YOU WORK FOR A MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY OR A DME PROVIDER - READ THIS" - capture the lurking interested parties. They NEED to read this! Well, one can cross fingers...

Merry Christmas to those who are doing it up!

AII

[christinequilts]

I have a ResMed VPAP Adapt since November, though I had been using a Respironics Synchrony BiPAP ST for 3 years before that. Since I've never had a CPAP or even a regular BiPAP, I guess I didn't realize all the differences in features

1. A backlightable LED display that can be read in dim light.

VPAP Adapt has an option for backlight to be auto off or stay on all the time. I've had no problems reading it in dim light, though I have mine set to be on all the time so I don't have to hit any buttons to turn the light on.

2. An LED display that shows daily and average AHI and leak data over a six month period. Compliance data not necessary.

Adapt gives daily, weekly, monthly & 3 month data. It doesn't give AHI, but most BiPAP ST don't; it does give average pressure, leak, tidal volume, minute vent, breaths per minute.

3. An LED display that shows real-time readouts of mask leak rates.

Both the Synchrony & VPAP Adapt do this, though there may be a slight, half second delay for the machine to read the data & interpret. I find I use it more on my Adapt since I don't have to deal with turning on the backlight.

4. A quick and easy way to change CPAP pressure, so that a groggy, sleepy person can adjust it in the middle of the night with one reach of a hand.

I don't know if any manufacture would ever consider this...its too easy for a groggy, sleepy person to take their mask off or turn their machine off, they shouldn't be adjusting pressure settings in that state. An autoPAP will adjust to pressure needed, without intervention from you.

5. Software that is easy to install, easy to use, and that doesn’t hog memory or disk space. Designed for one patient, rather than an entire clinic’s worth.
6. 1st party software that provides charts showing daily and average AHI and leak data over any selected date range covering the past year or more. Compliance data not necessary.

I agree they need some sort of patient geared software, that is easy to use. It could even be set up to automatically email your sleep doctor if your readings are unusual.

7. A heated humidifier that shuts off automatically when the water level gets too low.

I thought some did?

8. A flashing alarm that blinks after any session where AHI or leaks exceed a preselected limit.

My VPAP Adapt automatically shows a results data when you take the mask off (I have it set to auto-off), the first of which is mask fit (excellent, good, fair, poor), along with average pressure & hours used. Another interesting thing is the nightly data doesn't disappear at noon, like on other ResMed machines. It stays until there is a another session longer then so many minutes- I think somewhere around 5-10 minutes.

My Synchrony could be set to alarm for apneas after so many seconds. Setting it at 10 or 20 seconds didn't work well for me, as I still had a lot of centrals, even with BiPAP ST, so I usually had it set for 30-40 seconds. I could also set it to alarm if my minute ventilation went too low.

[dsm]

MY dream machine would ...

1) capture this data
- AI, HI, (and AHI), Minute Ventilation, accurate leak rate (not added to the masks known leak rate), Pressure setting (if auto), ipap/eap (if Bilevel)

2) Would have an integrated Pulse oximeter that allows std Nellcor probes to be plugged in

3) Would have a WiFi + Infrared + datacard as alternate means of transferring recorded data to a PC

4) Would also have a button that when pressed would turn on a minature display of a chart (prjected on the wall or ceiling) using a miniture laser display (I have seen these types of devices ) that shows the instant data from 1) above

5) Would have a very quiet blower

6) Would be able to handle centrals + provide exhalation relief

7) Would allow the miniture display to play back data & averages.

One never knows if such a dream may one day come true

DSM