YOU ALL NEED TO SEE THIS

[DaveC]

I hope this doesn't violate forum policy by posting a link to another forum...I know some places don't like that. However, this is important for everyone to see.
http://www.apneaboard.com/alert.htm

[Pugsy]

Not a problem to post that link.

Everyone should take the time to read it.

I already some months ago made the decision to no longer recommend any Philips Respironics product and that includes masks. My own personal stand your ground thing. Probably won't make that big of an impact but I feel better doing it.
Imagine if you had to contact a DME just to change the hose air temp to prevent rain out.....that's where they are going along with a lot of other changes which take away the user's ability to alter settings. Auto on feature....that's one that the end user cannot change. That was the straw that broke my camel's back last year. I didn't know about the hose temp thing until I read the above just now.

[DaveC]

Thanks Pugsy. Taking away your ability to see/adjust pressures is one thing...still a wrong thing...but to take away something as basic as adjusting your tube temp/humidity settings, auto-on/auto-off...probably the ramp setting too...is just way out of hand. I'm glad I turned on my airplane mode now in case ResMed decides to follow along with a push firmware update that does the same.

[squid13]

Might pay to hang on to some of your older machines like the S9.You can take the modem out of the others or use airplane mode.If my memory serves me right the S9,10 and 11 all have the same algorithm and that is the heart of the machine, the rest is cosmetic.

[Dog Slobber]

I'm glad I turned on my airplane mode now in case ResMed decides to follow along with a push firmware update that does the same.

Might pay to hang on to some of your older machines like the S9.You can take the modem out of the others or use airplane mode.

I'm all for contacting organisations to remind them why we won't use their products or services, or why we won't.

But speculating that ResMed might push a device inhibiting firmware update because of Philips encryption is completely unfounded.

[Pugsy]

But speculating that ResMed might push a device inhibiting firmware update because of Philips encryption is completely unfounded.

Given how ResMed would sue their mother if it would generate money in their pocket ....I am not so sure that they won't decide to take the same road Philips has decided to take.
Though I seriously doubt that they would go to the extra expense of forcing an update on the older machines but I wouldn't put it past them to consider doing what Philips did with their next model.

I would bet my last dollar that going the way Philips has gone is something ResMed is considering at some point.
Anything to make more money is their motto.
And anyone who thinks that any of these companies consider the patients/end users as their customer really need to rethink things. Everything they have done benefits the DMEs/doctors much more so than the end users. We are just lowly peons who don't have a say because we don't matter.

[Wulfman...]

There was an old adage in the old mainframe computer days that still sort of applies to other types of technology in more current times. the old saying was 'Find the best software for your purposes and then buy the computer it runs on"
This was in the days before the IBM PC and the "open box" technology (think OSCAR and its predecessor).......but still has some validity.
If you buy an XPAP without checking out the software that allows you to monitor, tweak and take control of your own therapy, you will be hindering YOUR own therapy.. Nobody knows better than YOU how this therapy is helping your sleep and your health. This would also apply to the ability to change the actual settings. The thoughts of restricting the therapy users to be able to change their own ettings is definitely NOT new. It has been discussed here for years.

Just sayin'......

Den

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[Wulfman...]

But speculating that ResMed might push a device inhibiting firmware update because of Philips encryption is completely unfounded.

Given how ResMed would sue their mother if it would generate money in their pocket ....I am not so sure that they won't decide to take the same road Philips has decided to take.
Though I seriously doubt that they would go to the extra expense of forcing an update on the older machines but I wouldn't put it past them to consider doing what Philips did with their next model.

I would bet my last dollar that going the way Philips has gone is something ResMed is considering at some point.
Anything to make more money is their motto.
And anyone who thinks that any of these companies consider the patients/end users as their customer really need to rethink things. Everything they have done benefits the DMEs/doctors much more so than the end users. We are just lowly peons who don't have a say because we don't matter.

BINGO!, Pugsy.

ResMed was the first to prohibit DMEs and other sellers from shipping products outside of the U.S or whatever country ththey operated out of. Even though I do use their masks, ResMed is at the top of my Shit list. I won't ever own one of their flow generators.

Den

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[Janknitz]

I have kept my ResMed in airplane mode since the day I got it. If it cannot connect, then nobody can push firmware updates. As I own the machine, my data is mine and nobody else's. If a clinician wants to see my data because I consult with the clinician about an issue, I would either provide the SD card or print the data out myself.

Even if I didn't own the machine outright (e.g. perpetual rental via Medicare Part C), I would prove efficacy via data card or actually bringing the machine in to prove usage. But when I get to Medicare age, I don't intend on playing the perpetual rental game, in any case. I will buy a machine outright (probably used) when it comes time to replace my current machine, and only one that provides me total access to efficacy data and full ability to adjust settings.

While the article points to the need to pay clinicians to access data and even to make simple comfort changes, it misses another big elephant. It's just not about paying for your own data. If the data and ability to make changes are proprietary, clinicians and DME's are generally going to have to choose a particular manufacturer to stick with. Most clinicians aren't going to be willing to have the expensive, extensive proprietary software for every CPAP company that exists, or even just the two big ones. They are going to pick one and stick to it. (Although after Foamgate, it boggles my mind that PR thinks it's going to win the proprietary game this way--they are more likely to lose to ResMed because clinicians who would choose PR over ResMed right now are out of their frigging minds!).

I saw that already with Kaiser. When I first started CPAP, their exclusive contract with Crapria was only for PR machines, and they had the software to use to support patients (and they actually used it to support patients, not just to prove up efficacy data). Kaiser would not provide ResMed machines, or any other brand at that point, and as a self-contained HMO, they were also the DME for their members--so you got what they provided unless you paid out of pocket for your own machine. When it was time for my second machine, they had switched to ResMed. So this encrypted software gambit is also meant to corner market share, because it will dramatically limit clinicians to one brand or another, regardless of what the patients want to use.

If you buy an XPAP without checking out the software that allows you to monitor, tweak and take control of your own therapy, you will be hindering YOUR own therapy.. Nobody knows better than YOU how this therapy is helping your sleep and your health. This would also apply to the ability to change the actual settings

.
We know everyday there are armies of newly diagnosed people who know nothing about any of this--they don't realize they have a choice in machines or masks, accessing their data or optimizing their settings. Only a very few make it to us or the Apnea board to learn how to optimize their treatment. So these companies can easily get away with this. But those of us who know better don't have to be their sheep.

[chunkyfrog]

I just put my Airsense 10 airplane mode to ON.
When my sleep doc contacts me to make my yearly appointment,
I will INFORM them I will be bringing in my sd card.
I am taking it OFFLINE.
No arguments!
I predict that this bonehead move by P-R will guarantee an uptick in the number
of new patients GIVING UP entirely on cpap.

[SleepGeek]

I hope this doesn't violate forum policy by posting a link to another forum...I know some places don't like that. However, this is important for everyone to see.
http://www.apneaboard.com/alert.htm

I am not here to defend PR but unless and until I see a citation - a credible citation - I have to say I think it is pure speculation.

As Den mentioned this has been a topic of discussion for many years.

And as mentioned by others every mfg can throw a wrench in what we know today - I doubt they will.

And if they choose to do that I will also find a vendor who allows me to take charge of my healthcare.

Could that be a model from china? Who knows.

[chunkyfrog]

Good point!
If the only future machines that allow PATIENT INVOLVEMENT are Chinese, so be it!
I can get past my nationalist snobbery for the sake of MY HEALTH!

[SJ-Paddler]

I would bet my last dollar that going the way Philips has gone is something ResMed is considering at some point.
Anything to make more money is their motto.

They would be giving up a great marketing position. "ResMed unlike the competition lets YOU control YOUR sleep". But then again it is not like you are going into Walmart to get one of these. Unless you are well informed BEFORE you start your CPAP therapy doctors and DME control the game.

Could you imagine having to make an appointment every time you wanted to adjust your pressure? That is a lot of co-pays! Especially early on when just starting.

[chunkyfrog]

. . .
Could you imagine having to make an appointment every time you wanted to adjust your pressure? That is a lot of co-pays! Especially early on when just starting.

A lot of co-pays mean a lot of CLAIMS--Insurance companies would LOVE that!
Doesn't matter if people DIE!
Unnecessary sleep studies--oooh! All that extra money!

DMEs-- maybe not so much--dead people don't buy equipment.
HMOs--low premiums; but huge profits.

[Pugsy]

They would be giving up a great marketing position. "ResMed unlike the competition lets YOU control YOUR sleep". But then again it is not like you are going into Walmart to get one of these. Unless you are well informed BEFORE you start your CPAP therapy doctors and DME control the game.

Could you imagine having to make an appointment every time you wanted to adjust your pressure? That is a lot of co-pays! Especially early on when just starting.

Oh, make no mistake about it. ResMed is never ever going to promote the fact that a person can or should go changing anything with their settings. That's why their user manuals don't ever say how to get to the clinical setup menu area.
They don't want you in there. That area is for people who know what they are doing and that's not us the patients per their customers...the DMEs and docs. We are too stupid and will hurt ourselves.
That's why the secret handshake exists.

Hell...remember that the ResMed machine comes from the factory just showing the hours of use in the sleep report and we have to go into the clinical setup area to change Essentials from hours of use to the limited data that they off by changing that setting to Plus. The factory default still shuts us out.

The day that ResMed locks me out of the hose air temp setting though or anything else I want from a machine... is the day I won't ever be buying another newer model ResMed machine.

The same people that Philips listened to....that wanted patient access so restricted.... are very likely telling ResMed the same thing.