Set up in Sleep Lab

[cpapabuser]

I just had another sleep study done since it had been awhile and I noticed that the sleep lab I went to actually do their own set ups. They said that when someone comes in for their first titration they set them up with their cpap before they leave and they go home with it plus the mask they were tested with. Has anyone else heard of that? I was just curious if that becomes the norm what the dme's will do about it.

[inacpapfog]

Hummmm..
As long as the patient has input on what they walk out the door with, such quick turnover could be a good thing!

[jeepdoctor]

It could be that the equipment you are sent home with is consigned to the sleep laby by a DME and that you will get the DME's bill in the near future.

This is the way it sometimes works for things like crutches at a doctor's office, slings at the one day surgery center, etc.

[Wulfman]

Did they give you a prescription?
If so, it would have had to be signed by a "Doctor".
Did you have a choice of where you could get the prescription filled?

It's been my understanding that somewhere back in time, there was a change (law?) in how doctors got their patients' prescriptions filled. I can remember that most of the doctors' offices or clinics also had a pharmacy in them. The doctor just sent the prescription over to the in-house pharmacy and the customer picked it up there. At some point, the doctors HAD to start giving the patient the prescription so that they could get it filled at a pharmacy of their choice.
I would assume that this should apply to ANY medical prescription.
In my opinion, to do otherwise might violate anti-trust laws.

Den

[cpapabuser]

I already have a cpap and everything, I just noticed they had a display with different cpaps and masks and I asked them about it and thats when they told me they have started doing it themself. They new I already had a cpap when I came in, I don't think they go with a dme though because I picked up one of their tri-folds and it stated on it that they not only do the sleep study but they take care of the patient afterwards with the set up. Sounds like a good idea, like I said it was the first time I had seen one like that and I'm happy with my current dme.

[kteague]

Based on chat room discussion with a sleep clinic staff person, their clinic also sets the patient up with equipment in the morning after the study, and I got the idea it is not an unusual practice. I'm wondering if the clinic does that portion as contracted by the DME. Surely someone will weigh in here with the official scoop.
Kathy