Reliability of Data Resmed S8 Elite

I am a new user to the whole world of CPAP. I asked the technician at my doctor's office if I should switch from the Resmed S8 Compact to the Elite for the purposes of collecting data. She said that the office, which is the best in Central Texas, had used the data devices in the past, but they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data. I do have the option to upgrade, but I thought I would check with the group for feedback. What is the overall feeling from the group? Have others noticed inconstancies with their data? Is it not worth the extra $150 to upgrade?

Thank you for the advice!

Mike77 wrote:I am a new user to the whole world of CPAP. I asked the technician at my doctor's office if I should switch from the Resmed S8 Compact to the Elite for the purposes of collecting data. She said that the office, which is the best in Central Texas, had used the data devices in the past, but they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data. I do have the option to upgrade, but I thought I would check with the group for feedback. What is the overall feeling from the group? Have others noticed inconstancies with their data? Is it not worth the extra $150 to upgrade?

Thank you for the advice!

My sleep doctor insists that all his patients are given the data capable devices, and told us the Resmed was one of the most reliable for data collection and gives him better data. Of course, it costs your DME about 200.00 more to purchase that machine than the regular non-data capable machines, even though they get reimbursed at the same rate. If your doctor's office doesn't want you to have one, insist anyway and YOU read the reports and let him know what is going on (or find a new doctor)

Mike77 wrote:I am a new user to the whole world of CPAP. I asked the technician at my doctor's office if I should switch from the Resmed S8 Compact to the Elite for the purposes of collecting data. She said that the office, which is the best in Central Texas, had used the data devices in the past, but they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data. I do have the option to upgrade, but I thought I would check with the group for feedback. What is the overall feeling from the group? Have others noticed inconstancies with their data? Is it not worth the extra $150 to upgrade?

Thank you for the advice!

One might think your sleep doctor as well as your health insurer (if you have one) are interested in reports regarding your use and efficacy of treatment. I don't know how they get those reports without a generator that can produce them.

Mike77 wrote:I am a new user to the whole world of CPAP. I asked the technician at my doctor's office if I should switch from the Resmed S8 Compact to the Elite for the purposes of collecting data. She said that the office, which is the best in Central Texas, had used the data devices in the past, but they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data. I do have the option to upgrade, but I thought I would check with the group for feedback. What is the overall feeling from the group? Have others noticed inconstancies with their data? Is it not worth the extra $150 to upgrade?

Thank you for the advice!

All of the data-capable machines rely on airflow to try to detect and determine events. They ARE pretty accurate when you're asleep.
It would be logical that they would tell you that because they want you to keep coming back to them......and keeping their income going.
For the cost of one or two visits to the doctor, the software and readers can be purchased so a person can monitor their own therapy.
My own sleep doctor tried to give me that BS back in 2005. I told him that even if mine was off by 300%, my AHI would still be under 5.0. That was my last visit with him.

Keep in mind......this is YOUR therapy.

Den

Good advice! Thank you for the assistance. I figure it is only $150 for the upgrade. Why not go for it if this is something that I am going to have to live with for the next X years.

Thanks all.

By the way.......
If you just received this machine, they shouldn't be charging you for an upgrade. ALL CPAPs (plainest through Autos) are billed under ONE insurance code and they bill/receive the same amount regardless of which model it is. The reason they prefer to give out the cheapest machines is because it's more profitable for them.

Den

AND the Elite does NOT cost them $200 or even $150 more than the Compact!! Call your insurance and ask what local DME suppliers they are contracted with. Hopefully, you will have the option of more than just this one. THAT gives you some bargaining/negotiating room. Refuse the Compact (and the Escape if they try offering that one) and insist on the Elite - at NO extra charge.

The Compact is an entry-level CPAP, altho it does have the Ramp feature, even the altitude adjustment must be done manually. It has no expiration pressure relief, no leak compensation, no auto On/Off, it doesn't even come w/the standard carrying case that has room for the Humidaire integrated humidifier. It is capable of compliance data only. Its not DC capable.

cpap.com sells the S8 Compact for $395 and the S8 Elite for $439.

Depending on your copay it might be worthwhile to buy the Elite from cpap.com out of pocket and MAYBE the Humidaire 3i and mask from the local DME supplier via your insurance depending on how lenient they intend to be w/their mask exchange policy. If you have an annual deductable it may well be cheaper for you to buy everything out of pocket at cpap.com You've gotta figure all the angles when it comes to insurance and local DME suppliers.

AND the Resmeds and the Respironics xPAPs may not be perfect but they are quite accurate AS LONG AS YOUR LEAK RATE IS W/IN LIMITS.

Mike77 wrote:I am a new user to the whole world of CPAP. I asked the technician at my doctor's office if I should switch from the Resmed S8 Compact to the Elite for the purposes of collecting data. She said that the office, which is the best in Central Texas, had used the data devices in the past, but they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data. I do have the option to upgrade, but I thought I would check with the group for feedback. What is the overall feeling from the group? Have others noticed inconstancies with their data? Is it not worth the extra $150 to upgrade?

Thank you for the advice!

Mike,

The Dr is pretty well right when it comes to comparing data between patients BUT when it comes to any of us tracking results, the data is good enough to give us trends and guidance even if it is technically not accurate or inadequate to determine other complex issues.

There has been a long debate for years about how useful AHI scoring is but it is all we plebs have to work by and without any doubt is better than nothing.

So for yourself get a data capable machine & don't worry about how its data compares to another brand or user.

Go for it

DSM

Mike77 wrote:but they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data.

Without a data capable machine you will have no way of knowing, short of another sleep study, if your therapy is working for you on a nightly basis.

So while there may be inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the existing technology it is what we have to work with right now and gives us some basis to determine if the therapy is working... the other basis is how you are feeling.

You cannot go wrong by having a data capable machine and a machine that gives you more options.

I have always used the Elite and like it just fine. After over a year of use it has been consistent and reliable. I think the data is pretty accurate, although I tend to have more confidence in the AI numbers than the HI. Nevertheless, I definitely feel better when my numbers are lower and worse when the numbers are higher, which is the only calibration check that I have at my disposal. The Elite has the added bonus of being able to read your nightly pressure, leak and AHI data from the LCD screen just by holding down the left and right buttons for a few seconds. The filter is easy to change, Smart Start works for most masks and for those it doesn't work for the ON/Off button is large and easy to find by feel at night. You can set it up to adjust ramp and EPR by pushing a couple of buttons. The backlight comes on when you push any button for easy reading of the screen at night. Its pretty quiet, mine sits right next to my head and doesn't bother me at all. Mine came with a carrying case that holds the machine, humidifier, hose mask and all the equipment if you want to travel with it. Zero maintenece, just hook up and go to sleep every night. The power cord could be a bit longer. It has a mask off alarm you can use if you need it (I never have).

Mike77 wrote:Ibut they elected to not use them as their default due to inaccuracies and inconsistencies with the data.

That sounds to me like an excuse from a lazy sleep clinician who can't be bothered actually looking at a graph!

Cheers,

Bill

Sure does, BillBolton, and it seems like there are an awful of that kind of RT working for local DME suppliers. IF the person is even an RT!

Slinky wrote:Sure does, BillBolton, and it seems like there are an awful of that kind of RT working for local DME suppliers. IF the person is even an RT!

The RT title is for public consumption... they are actually sales agents... well, that was my experience anyway. <shrug>

I am excited. I picked up the S8 Elite today and a new mask. The nasal pillows made me feel like I had a laser pointed at the inside of my nostril. I hope that the Mirage Micro will help me with that...

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Mike

I use the software on a daily basis, wouldn't be without it and I don't know that it's inaccurate, so I just monitor what I see and then adjust as need be.

I hope you have good luck with the mask. I was a die hard ResMed Activa user for 2+ years and never thought it could be pried away from me. But after 2 mos. of use and weening my self on the EPR I am using the Swift LT w/0 EPR. I don't feel the air rushing up my nose @ 12cm H2O and would not know I had a mask on if it were not for some light pressure at the top of my upper lip. I have also gone away from the chin strap by training my tongue to form a seal at the top of my mouth.

Again, good luck, hope you start enjoying your sleep time.

Fred