OMG!!!! DME actually wants to read my card......

[goose]

So, I called for my every 3 month supply "issue" the other day and let them know I wanted to try the Quattro FF mask so I have something for allergy season that will work (the HC431 I have is a piece of s....Well you get the picture)....

I mentioned that I didn't know what size so I would need a fitting to see which one would fit the best.
She tells me to bring my machine, mask, hose etc., then she asked the magic question........."Have we ever read your data card???"
"Uh. No. I read it myself and to be honest, this is the first time any of you have ever even asked that question much less made the offer to read it."
Silence..... ...... ....... ...."Oh...... Well what have you found in the data???"
To which I spent about 5 minutes giving her a lesson on what's on the card, how it's interpreted and what my numbers are and mean, and that I'm quite happy with my results......Now. I have to qualify all of that with the fact that this person only takes and fills orders. The RT I'll be seeing for my appointment is someone I've never heard of before.....Ok with me. All I need is a mask that fits......
I fully expect to hear that, "I don't floss well enough or often enough.....blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda"... ....
I manage my treatment, thank you. You supply the means with which I do that........end of statement.
I'm half tempted to pull my data (which I used to obsess over - no more!!) and erase the card.. ....but I won't.....

Oh....I've had my machine for almost 3 years now, and this is the first time they've EVER asked about the data........I call them every 3 months......

I'll let ya'll know how it goes......It should be fun!!!!
cheers
goose

[dave21]

Same here Goose, not one has my doctor or the hospital / sleep clinic once asked me for my data. When I thought there was something wrong two years ago I actually asked them to read my data, they said they couldn't do it there and then and I had to leave my data card with them. Then they contacted ResMed and I get a phone call from ResMed saying they received my data card, is it okay for them to print out the information and provide back to the doctor.

I think a lot of us go through the same situation, once diagnosed it seems like they don't care. We're just numbers to them on their books and from a UK perspective the more numbers they see the more grant they get in terms of revenue from the government.

[Joe50]

They probably have some sort of scam they are running in order to sell you something.

[cflame1]

I'd make sure that I pulled my data, though... most of the DME's that I've dealt with and have read my card, don't know how to not erase cards!

[goose]

Ha!!! You're probably right Joe -- I'm already on my guard for that one!!!
I'm not "badmouthing" my DME, quite the contrary - My DME is pretty decent as DME's go. Since I don't pay anything for anything, I have no idea of what they bill the insurance company, but there's not a lot I could do about that anyway - it's contract. I do know the insurance company got raped on the machine, but also know that's normal.
The only thing they've messed up on is billing once, and for the past 2 times I've asked for a new hose, it hasn't been in the box.....Since I'm going there Tuesday, I'll make sure I have a hose when I leave!!! Well they did tell me at one point that "We don't give Auto-CPAP's to patients....."
"Oh you don't??? I hear a challenge being offered up...Please prepare one for me, I'll see you in a couple days...."
Quick phone call to the doc, a make model specific script, and in a few days I had my auto. They weren't pleased, but ask me if I care??? Once I got them trained, it's been great....
I will be pulling my data before I go. I probably haven't pulled it for a couple months now, but as I said in my other post, I used to obsess over the data. Since the numbers didn't change in over a year......I don't bother anymore.....If I feel weird or feel that something's not right, I look at it post haste, but beyond that, it's every couple months....I may ask for a new card though -- this one's been in the box for 3 years......

cheers
goose

[Goofproof]

Sounds like someone has found another revenue source that they have missed. like my over the phone monitoring of my defib unit, the Dr charges the same as his office visit and doesn't have to do anything ($125)! Jim

[pdean44]

We will have to see how it goes but it seems like the dme i have has ever intention of pulling the data the next time i go to her for a visit. she seems to be on the ball we shall see whn i go for my visit to see how she handles it. That wont be for a little while yet though.

[GumbyCT]

We will have to see how it goes but it seems like the dme i have has ever intention of pulling the data the next time i go to her for a visit. she seems to be on the ball we shall see whn i go for my visit to see how she handles it. That wont be for a little while yet though.

I think the new guidelines require that machine usage be verified which is the reason for checking the card. The request for Goose is prob just the standard they try for ALL patients to have data "on file".

The reason the card gets erased at the DME's is bc the "default setting" is to erase the card after a download. And let's face it, they don't read the cards like "we do".

Goose,
I'd be interested in hearing if they give you any gruff when asked for a "reaplacement card". Will Ins. Co cover that?

[goose]

So...here's the updated skinny......
Had my get together with DME today and it was very pleasant......
I pulled my data yesterday and printed the report and when she got my machine out of the bag, plugged it in I mentioned that the "screener" had said they were going to pull my data. I said that it's the first time in 2.5 years anyone has even mentioned pulling data, be my guest, and oh by the way, I pull it myself.....at which time I pulled out the report and handed it to her. She was a bit surprised that I had it,and asked "how do you do that????"......D'oh.....I have the software!!!
She did say that she didn't know why Respironics didn't make it available to the patients, and I mentioned that it had facility to change the settings, which I have done......Another look of surprise.....
Then I explained that I titrated at 5, can't breathe at 5 etc.....anyone who's read my posts knows the story, but that now I was at 11-15 which she dutifully wrote in my file. I also relayed the story on how I ended up with an Auto.....that got a laugh!!!
She didn't even pull the card out to look at it.....I believe that she did look at the total hours on the machine....One of these days maybe I'll look.....
There was also a "student" present - I was asked if it was ok,and I essentially said "hell yeah".....We had a good conversation when the RT left the room to get all the "stuff".....She had a good head on her shoulders, so hopefully......

I got my Quattro mask, size Medium, and I'll be "playing" with it tonight to get it ready for when I really need it.
I happened to mention that I'd been chasing a leak issue for about a month, and based on a thread by DSM I had solved it by changing the headgear on my Activa LT. She reached into the box of masks and gave me a new headgear for the LT, at no cost!!! It was not written on the "billing" invoice!!!
So I got my stash of filters, a new hose (finally) and another new mask. All I'm going to be out is the $$ for the new silicone seal part for the LT and I'll be good to go!!!

***Just to add to the leak problem -- If you start having leak problems in the middle of the night after the mask working fine for months, check the headgear. On the LT it had stretched out and even moving the Velcro sizers didn't help because the elastic had no more stretch.....DSM had the same issue with a Quattro and after trying a few things, he changed the headgear and viola - problem solved (at least the last time I read the thread). It worked for me....last 2 nights the leak line has been pretty much "normal" for me.***

So once again, i can't really badmouth my DME. They provide me with what I need, bill the insurance (some exorbitant amount I'm sure), and don't give me static about handling my own treatment......
That's the long and short of it.....
cheers
goose

[GumbyCT]

and did you get a *new* card?

[Slinky]

Yeah, well, I've got just as big or an ever bigger shocker for you!!!

This latest sleep doctor I saw at my sleep lab after my recent bi-level re-titration fiasco (didn't sleep phershtunga) actually asked me to bring my data card in!!! Now, not for the printouts, I'd already given them to him. The Resmeds allow for stretching those squiggly line graphs out from 30 second epochs to 24 hours. At least theoretcially one could "score" the night's events as done during an actual PSG - except, of course, the "leads" are missing for the EEG, EOG, etc.

I was actually suspicious of WHY he wanted my data card - or my VPAP Auto - to do a download myself. My first thought was that he wanted to be sure I wasn't suppying someonelse's data or something. (I have a suspcious mind w/these sleep doctors). Be still my heart. I nearly had "the big one"!

Ah, but, Goose, you handled your situation so well. I think I just sat there w/my mouth open and a "deer in the headlights" glaze in my eyes.

[goose]

No new card Gumby.....She didn't even look to see if the machine had a card in it....
Just looked at the reports - well, glanced at them. She had the whole 15 pages in her hand for about 10 seconds or so....
I think there's a note in my file that I don't "need" their help....just supplies. Really the only reason I ended up going to their office was to size the Quattro.....I had no idea which size to order, so.......

cheers
goose

[Slinky]

What? GOOSE!!!! You handled things so well from that first phone call to the actual visit and you FORGOT to get a new data card??? You're slipping ole boy. You've shaken my faith in you!!! Must be the Michigan water, eh?

[GumbyCT]

What? GOOSE!!!! You handled things so well from that first phone call to the actual visit and you FORGOT to get a new data card??? You're slipping ole boy. You've shaken my faith in you!!! Must be the Michigan water, eh?

And I thought it was me?

[goose]

Awwww....come-on.....The card I have is perfectly good and has never had any issues.......I really don't need a new one, and I don't want my ins. co. billed for it if I really don't need it.....
I will say that it's 2.5 years old........Is there something I need to know that I haven't gleaned from here yet?????
Splane me -- splane me!!!!!

cheers
goose