How many days/months data does a smart card hold?

Grump · Post by **Grump** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:54 pm

I am still fairly new to this, almost three months now, and met with the Sleep doc yesterday for a followup. She is happy with my compliance and said she doesn't need to see me for a year unless I notice changes. My question is, how much data does a smart card hold? I don't have the software yet and want to have at least all current data printouts. The DME has printed out my data without charge for my last two appointments and I will continue to use them until I get the software.

Thanks!
Art

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:26 pm

It holds 7 days of "detailed data" and at least 317 days of "compliance data" (that's what I got with my "test" last year. Another person reported getting a little more than that.)
The oldest nightly detailed data rotates into compliance.

Den

Grump · Post by **Grump** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:33 pm

Thank you! I asked the sleep Doc about getting the software/reader and she didn't support that thought. I believe I've read here that you don't need a perscription to buy the software, correct? In the meantime, it's good to know I have some time before the smart card runs into capacity issues.

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:25 pm

You are correct that you don't need a prescription for the software; however, without a prescription insurance won't cover it (I'm not sure if it would cover with a prescription).

Mindy

WNJ · Post by **WNJ** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:02 am

Grump wrote:. . . In the meantime, it's good to know I have some time before the smart card runs into capacity issues.

After about a week, it doesn't much matter because all "compliance" tells you is how many hours you used the machine each night. This should tell you nothing that you don't already know.

So far as I know, the only purpose of "compliance data" is so the insurance company can refuse to pay for your therapy if it shows you are not using the machine. Means almost nothing as to the efficacy of your therapy.

The detailed data is what you need in order to know how well it is working and to make any needed adjustments.

BTW, I think it would be more accurate to say the card records seven "sessions," not seven nights. If I am up for more than one hour in the night (happens quite often) the data re-sets to another session for the remainder of the night. As a result, I often get four or five nights worth of detailed data in the 12 pages of the report.

If you sleep right thru the night, or have the machine off for less than 60 minutes at one time, you should get a full seven nights of detailed data.

Wayne