Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
sleepguide
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Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by sleepguide » Wed Jan 27, 2010 3:05 pm

hope you guys will not view this as SPAM, but for the potentially valuable resource it can be for you and others that get diagnosed with Sleep Apnea:

I've been developing http://www.SleepSearch.com as a tool to help people find the good eggs in the field of Sleep Medicine, and avoid the bad eggs. BUT -- speaking of eggs, we have a chicken and egg problem -- SleepSearch relies heavily on user-generated content, but as of now, the site has precious few users. I want to tell you, the dedicated Sleep Apnea patient, exactly what SleepSearch is, who created it and why it's important for you to contribute to it: SleepSearch.com is the "Yelp of Sleep Apnea." It's a site that the founders of SleepGuide.com conceived of as the first and only place for a patient to find, rate and review all different types of professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of Sleep Apnea. We all know the perplexing array of providers there are in this field, and how variable the quality of these providers are. This is a solution to that problem: it's a way for Sleep Apnea patient themselves to inject some justice into the all too often random ways we wind up with the doctors, sleep labs and equipment supply companies we do -- on SleepSearch.com, good providers will naturally be "voted up" with good reviews and ratings; providers that aren't as competent or interested in their patients' well being will naturally be "voted down" with poor reviews and ratings. While any directory is necessarily limited in that certain information goes stale or contains inaccuracies, our system solves this problem organically by giving patients and providers alike the ability to update/ modify/ delete provider entries. Nor are these modifications accepted blindly -- rather, they go into a moderation queue for the site's administrators to manually verify and approve or reject. The result is that, with user help, the content will always be fresh.

I ask you each to take a moment to find and review your sleep doctor, your equipment supplier, and your Sleep Lab. If your provider isn't there, simply add it at http://sleepsearch.com/providers/new

SleepSearch.com can be an important resource for us all, and for all who come after us. But the site relies on a large user base that cares about the end result to succeed. You all can provide that user base. I am asking you to give it the chance we know it deserves to have.

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BleepingBeauty
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by BleepingBeauty » Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:10 pm

I really like (and appreciate the need for) this kind of rating system for this field.

My question: Are the reviews anonymous?

I haven't found any listings in my area, but I sure could write a few reviews. I've tried a few expanded searches, but I've yet to find even one review as an example.
Veni, vidi, Velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Dx 11/07: AHI 107, central apnea, Cheyne Stokes respiration, moderate-severe O2 desats. (Simple OSA would be too easy. ;))

PR S1 ASV 950, DreamWear mask, F&P 150 humidifier, O2 @ 2L.

sleepguide
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by sleepguide » Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:21 pm

Here's an example review: http://sleepsearch.com/providers/15555

You can be as anonymous as you want -- what we're going for is authenticity -- we don't care what your name is. To remain anonymous, just don't put your real name in the "Screen Name" when you use the sign up form (http://sleepsearch.com/signup) -- i.e., use an alias

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BleepingBeauty
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by BleepingBeauty » Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:36 pm

sleepguide wrote:Here's an example review: http://sleepsearch.com/providers/15555
Thanks.
You can be as anonymous as you want -- what we're going for is authenticity -- we don't care what your name is. To remain anonymous, just don't put your real name in the "Screen Name" when you use the sign up form (http://sleepsearch.com/signup) -- i.e., use an alias
Cool. It wasn't clear, from the sign-up page, that anonymous info would be acceptable.
Veni, vidi, Velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Dx 11/07: AHI 107, central apnea, Cheyne Stokes respiration, moderate-severe O2 desats. (Simple OSA would be too easy. ;))

PR S1 ASV 950, DreamWear mask, F&P 150 humidifier, O2 @ 2L.

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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by Guest » Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:54 pm

I have used the site and found it to be really helpful. I had a hard time in my neighborhood finding a doctor that could address my needs with my asthma and my OSA. After I found a great doctor I added his name to the website hoping that other people in my area that suffer from OSA might not have to look as hard as I did to find a good board certified sleep specialist.

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time2sleep
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by time2sleep » Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:58 pm

I think being able to have recommendations from other people that have sleep apnea is a great idea. One place to go to check out all available doctors. I wish I would have had something like this when I first started looking for doctors to treat my OSA. I was wondering if it includes DME's? I could have used recommendations for DMEs.

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montana user
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by montana user » Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:51 pm

I like this idea. I do a self test every morning by letting my patients fill out a survey on how they were treated, did I answer there questions, did I make them feel comfortable, and then a space for any comments. This goes directly to my manager so they can write freely. Its really the only way I know that I am on the right track or need to improve! So I hope other labs will do the same with this website!

jnk
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by jnk » Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:30 pm

The more patient input and help for one another the better, I say. The more info, the more valuable that site will become.

jeff

california girl

Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by california girl » Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:23 pm

I haven't been diagnosed very long. Have no idea wht Im doing yet with all this equipment. My DME has been kinda crummy and I've seen 2 sleep doctors so far. One didn't seem to know as much as I do which is not much of anythig. The other one was kind of arrogant or had bad bedside manner, or something I felt like I couldn't even ask him questions. He just acted like I didn't need to know. I don't know what questions to ask, i just wnat to talk about it. i havne't been on this site. Soomeone I know said a friend of his comes here. I didn't evne know this kind of website existed. The first time I come on here I find this talk going on which is aexactly what I need. I don't know anything about it but is soundss like you people like it. I'm so tired of trying to find someone to listen, My afamily doesn'tt want to talk abouj it. I guess they are just scared but so am i. Do you think this might be a good plasce to look for a good doctor. my sleep test people wouldn't recomend any one. So I feel pretty lost with no body to talk to . I want to keep using this equpmnet but I it's hard. I can only keep it onfor about 2 hours. I don't thinkthat's enough. Whjat do you peole think I should do. Is that searching website help with this? I dont wnat to keep getting knokced down but I need a doctor. one tha'ts not stupid.

California Girl

sleepguide
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by sleepguide » Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:31 pm

California girl, you point out the chicken-and-egg problem I mentioned in my first post about SleepSearch.com -- the site at http://www.SleepSearch.com has the potential to fill exactly the need you describe -- finding a doctor who's "not stupid" -- problem is, without folks like you and me writing up reviews on the SleepSearch site about which doctors are stupid and which doctors are not stupid, the site is just that -- a potentially good resource. So please go to the site, find the doctors you have already worked with, and contribute a review. If all of us do the same, http://www.SleepSearch.com will become for all of us exactly the site you so desperately need.

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fadedgirl
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by fadedgirl » Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:08 am

This is awesome and imperative, thank you. I'm incensed by the lack of accountability, oversight & corrective measures in our healthcare system. The NYT is doing a series of in-depth articles on this. Go here if you want to check out some rare, honest reporting on the subject (might save your own life someday): http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/healt ... ation.html

I will definitely post a review of my doc & facility after my sleep study. Thank you.

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sleepguide
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by sleepguide » Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:22 am

thank you fadedgirl. we review restaurants and bars online -- and you know what -- I can find a pretty decent burger thanks to that. why NOT review doctors, DMEs and sleep labs online?

jnk
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Re: Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by jnk » Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:11 am

california girl wrote:I haven't been diagnosed very long. Have no idea wht Im doing yet with all this equipment. My DME has been kinda crummy and I've seen 2 sleep doctors so far. One didn't seem to know as much as I do which is not much of anythig. The other one was kind of arrogant or had bad bedside manner, or something I felt like I couldn't even ask him questions. He just acted like I didn't need to know. I don't know what questions to ask, i just wnat to talk about it. i havne't been on this site. Soomeone I know said a friend of his comes here. I didn't evne know this kind of website existed. The first time I come on here I find this talk going on which is aexactly what I need. I don't know anything about it but is soundss like you people like it. I'm so tired of trying to find someone to listen, My afamily doesn'tt want to talk abouj it. I guess they are just scared but so am i. Do you think this might be a good plasce to look for a good doctor. my sleep test people wouldn't recomend any one. So I feel pretty lost with no body to talk to . I want to keep using this equpmnet but I it's hard. I can only keep it onfor about 2 hours. I don't thinkthat's enough. Whjat do you peole think I should do. Is that searching website help with this? I dont wnat to keep getting knokced down but I need a doctor. one tha'ts not stupid.

California Girl
California Girl,

Feel free, also, to sign up here at cpaptalk.com and to list your equipment in your profile and to start a thread about any specific problems you are having or to just talk about your diagnosis and feelings about that. That is what this site is for--patients talking to patients about it all. Many of us wouldn't be doing very well with our therapy if it weren't for discussions we have read here.

jeff

sleepguide
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by sleepguide » Thu Jan 28, 2010 3:55 pm

jnk wrote:The more patient input and help for one another the better, I say. The more info, the more valuable that site will become.

jeff
I see that a common thread on the forums, including cpaptalk, is frustration over the incompetence and mistreatment we patients suffer at the hands of sleep professionals. the SleepSearch site will allow people to publicly (and anonymously) voice their experiences with a specific provider so that others can steer clear of providers who provide poor service.

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sleepycarol
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Re: Time to Hold Sleep Doctors, DMEs and Sleep Labs Accountable

Post by sleepycarol » Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:40 pm

It is so frustrating to find that the very people that should be helping you take care of your health are the very ones that will exploit you.

How very sad. Hopefully the site will allow us to find those that want to help us regain our health instead of making a fast buck on us.
Start Date: 8/30/2007 Pressure 9 - 15
I am not a doctor or other health care professional. Comments reflect my own personal experiences and opinions.