Challenge format

As a manufacture, I love the idea of having patients evaluate two similiar products, however I feel that your format is flawed. You are asking patients who are currently using their mask of choice, to evulate another similiar product. I believe that you will find in every case that the patient will select the mask he is currently using. A more impartial format who be to take a patient who is using a nasal mask and have them evaluate a diffent style ( like the Bravo/Swift II style). In this way you get a much better format that is impartial to the first choice mask.

Uhhh ... Yep. That evaluation has been done ...

productchallenge/finishedChallenge.php

I guess you make the Bravo? ...

Or, at least, on the evaluation responses, have the user indicate which is his/her usual mask.
Shari

Howdy Patrick,

Thanks for your comments. I disagree with them and my reasons follow.

Our Product Challenge is not intended to be a scientific double blind study, but I do believe it is a very good indicator of CPAP user preference.

The goal of any mask brought to market should be to become every CPAP users nightly mask of choice. This can only be achieved if it is so comfortable that it is better than what they are already using. CPAP users are looking for the best, most comfortable mask available and will gladly forsake all others for it.

To follow your logic, I should conduct my tests by instructing participants to discard a mask that works for them, take up a completely new genre of mask from the one that is known effective, and ask them to rate which of the two is best.

What conclusions could be drawn from such a test? Say I was conducting a Nasal Mask test on Nasal Pillow users. Mask A received a 2.2 out of 5 and Mask B received a 3.2 out of 5. I'd say the loser of that trial would be the participants.

Say Mask B was rated 5 out of 5. That is well and good, but how would it rate against the Nasal Mask system participants were using nightly before the start of the challenge? That would be the true indicator of comfort and of the likelihood that participants would switch at the end of a trial.

It is all about generating the highest level of CPAP user comfort. To do that, you have to test against their current mask, which is going to represent the best a given CPAP user has found for their preferences.

There's a reason the Bravo tested their product against the Swift. If you want to prove you satisfy a CPAP user's needs, you have to go after the company that is currently designing products that do. Winning that is a big deal and losing it provides feedback for improvement.

On that point, feedback indicates that the headgear on the Bravo is great and with some minor tweaks to pillow materials and positioning, the Bravo could be a formidable nasal pillow system.

Johnny

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Thanks for this Johnny! I was wondering why Swift was picked to go up against Bravo. I didn't realize Bravo chose that matchup.

I'm really surprised by the results. I would have thought otherwise. However, having tried to convert a couple of Swift users to the Nasal Aire II, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I look at the Swift and see a really bad design, but the users who love them clearly would rather fight than switch!

BTW, tell Bravo they have failed miserably at converting NAII users to the Bravo. Luckily for them it's the same manufacturer.

Cheers,
Babs

Say Mask B was rated 5 out of 5. That is well and good, but how would it rate against the Nasal Mask system participants were using nightly before the start of the challenge? That would be the true indicator of comfort and of the likelihood that participants would switch at the end of a trial.
It is all about generating the highest level of CPAP user comfort. To do that, you have to test against their current mask, which is going to represent the best a given CPAP user has found for their preferences.

Very good points, Johnny. When I started cpap I trial a number of nasal masks that I couldn't handle. Was then given a nasal pillows mask which was good. Until a challenger came along, and I now use that challenger nightly.

O.

Patrick,

I also agree with Johnny. I noticed that there were some cases where users liked the Bravo as well as the Swift and folks were generally quite good at pointing out what they liked and what they didn't.

I think the results were very much in the vein of "real life". If you want to sell more Bravo masks, it would be good to at least listen to what users are saying. It sounds to me like this challenge gave you a good opportunity for feedback!

Mindy

I think the Challenge was fair enough.

I went from a not so comfortable ComfortLite II to the OptiLife which I loved. Ordered an Opus and used it less than a week before going back to Opti because I could not control leaks. Then came along the Swift II this past summer and it's been heaven since then.

I would hate to trial nasal masks when I already know I hate them!

I do agree that the Swift II's head gear stretches out/wears out too fast!

I was pretty happy with the Swift II but wanted to try the Bravo, so I did. I was hoping for something better for side sleeping. I had a hard time choosing between them (not a part of the challenge), I found them about equal, though the cost is a big factor here. I do think that if the mfg of the Bravo is responsive to the feedback, it will be a really great mask.

Babette did convert me to the NA II until I found the Headrest. Both of these masks are better for side sleeping that either the Swift or the Bravo. I plan to use the Headrest every night unless something better for side sleepers comes along. The NA II is my backup mask at this point, in case something happens to the headrest or I can't use it.

However, the Headrest might not be my favorite without the headgear modifications I found on this website. Perhaps Hanes needs to start making headgear with pantyhose material. It might be a top seller once word got out . I think that mfg's need to get more creative about their headgear, like make more sizes, etc. One of the great things about the NA II is the different ways you can use it, you aren't stuck with headgear that doesn't work but a mask you like.

How about summer and winter headgear for a start?

I'll take my more quiet Soyala nasal over those two nose thingees any day