CPAP clinician and CPAP User

CPAPselecta · Post by **CPAPselecta** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:30 pm

Good after noon good evening or goodnight. I am a long time reader and recent user to CPAP(resmed s9 with Mirage Fx Standard face mask Plus Chinstrap)i do work as a clinician in a CPAP Clinic and the CPAP industry and love the fact that i have started my own treatment. I do enjoy the fact that there are people like me on the web that i can talk with, and would in turn love to try and answer to the best of my ability any questions that people might have regarding treatment or just for general information that could help me out in the work place. so for now ill sign off and get back to the readings all the best to my fellow users and happy ZzZzZzZzz's

TheCPAPSelecta

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:31 am

Welcome to the forum, Selecta. Which Resmed S9 are you using for your personal PAP? There are several S9 models available.

What are the duties of a CPAP clinic clinician?

Happy Zzzzzzs to you too.

DaveLP · Post by **DaveLP** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 10:19 am

I would be interested in hearing about the sleep study and DME industry from a clinician standpoint. We all complain from time to time about sleep doctors, DMEs, and the insurance industry and how they make it difficult to obtain the best equipment. Many of us settle for what is recommended (which is usually the cheapest alternative) and later buy an APAP out of pocket.

What is your opinion of the way patients are treated at equipment time. I noticed that you got a top shelf auto unit right off the bat. Most of us are forced into a fixed pressure CPAP. Is it true that the DEM receives the same reimbursement for fixed pressure or auto machines? Is it the insurance company or the DME or both trying to save money?

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:52 am

DaveLP wrote:I would be interested in hearing about the sleep study and DME industry from a clinician standpoint. We all complain from time to time about sleep doctors, DMEs, and the insurance industry and how they make it difficult to obtain the best equipment. Many of us settle for what is recommended (which is usually the cheapest alternative) and later buy an APAP out of pocket.

What is your opinion of the way patients are treated at equipment time. I noticed that you got a top shelf auto unit right off the bat. Most of us are forced into a fixed pressure CPAP. Is it true that the DEM receives the same reimbursement for fixed pressure or auto machines? Is it the insurance company or the DME or both trying to save money?

Dang!

....for a newbie here, you sure know how to ask all the right questions!
I'm looking forward to the OP's reply.

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:59 am

He's from Australia, I believe, so many of the answers may be a bit different from the US.

Definitely welcome to our group, Selecta.

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:26 pm

archangle wrote:He's from Australia, I believe, so many of the answers may be a bit different from the US.

ahhh....well that's a horse of a different color.

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:49 pm

Actually, it's more like this:

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:15 pm

archangle wrote:Actually, it's more like this:

ummmm.... it's....ART!

( I hope our friends from "down under" are laughing)

CPAPselecta · Post by **CPAPselecta** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:08 pm

DaveLP wrote:I would be interested in hearing about the sleep study and DME industry from a clinician standpoint. We all complain from time to time about sleep doctors, DMEs, and the insurance industry and how they make it difficult to obtain the best equipment. Many of us settle for what is recommended (which is usually the cheapest alternative) and later buy an APAP out of pocket.

What is your opinion of the way patients are treated at equipment time. I noticed that you got a top shelf auto unit right off the bat. Most of us are forced into a fixed pressure CPAP. Is it true that the DEM receives the same reimbursement for fixed pressure or auto machines? Is it the insurance company or the DME or both trying to save money?

Hey Gday Dave the best way i try and sell my equipment to my patients is buy basically putting myself in there position for example most people are unaware what the diffrence between a fixed pressure machine and an Autoset machine is so little things like that i try and help when making a decision we also ecourage for them to rent a CPAP machine or in some cases VPAP just to see which machine they like(Rental includes a multitude of masks of there choice and sizes and the hosing) for $250 for the month usually our patients have decided what they'd like to purchase or have tailor made there treatment by switching masks or machines ie. Resmed, Phillips etc...,

As such we do get alot of elderly couples and most of them are a pleasure to do business with and i usually think to myself wich is the machine with less buttons to push less to remember approach for the them while others might find the fisher and paykel machine to be to tricky to remove the lid( ive noticed the lid is quite firm at times) so to recap i usually think what would be easiest for them and most comfortable is what i prefer selling them. and the ones that dont make the right choice the first week are more then welcome to come in and try diffrent equipment.

I choose the resmed s9 Autoset machine with humidifier as i love the look and basically it appealed to me asthetically hahaha and also i felt like it was the most quiet for me, and i love the flexibility of the Autoset mode if i ever needed it.

As with the DEM im not so sure as to what that is as i am in Australia but basically when our patients come in and inquire whether there healthfunds can reimburse any money becuse of there health benefits and in most cases yes they do get some money back wether it be 500-1000 dollars back it varies from healthfund.

CPAPselecta · Post by **CPAPselecta** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:10 pm

Vader wrote:
archangle wrote:He's from Australia, I believe, so many of the answers may be a bit different from the US.
ahhh....well that's a horse of a different color.

Love it hahaha.

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:16 pm

DME is durable medical equipment... usually that's what we call the equipment supplier in the US

CPAPselecta · Post by **CPAPselecta** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:17 pm

Slinky wrote:Welcome to the forum, Selecta. Which Resmed S9 are you using for your personal PAP? There are several S9 models available.

What are the duties of a CPAP clinic clinician?

Happy Zzzzzzs to you too.

Good afternoon Slinky basically what i do is provide the service and sales of CPAP,VPAP machine to clients sell and do fittings for masks and read/do downloads for patients and give therapy for the extra claustraphobic or childish of our clients( we get many that hate the idea of CPAP) so i help them with counselling them and giving my thoughts and experinces that i myself have felt whiles on treatment. We also go to hospitals and show patients to sick to travel how to use CPAP and basically give a friendly face to those who have a machine and have no one to talk to about there problems.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:47 pm

Thank you, Selecta. You are the equivalent of our local durable medical equipment (DME) provider. Are you also an RRT (registered respiratory therapist)?? Usually our DME providers deal w/us thru their RRT. So you sound like an RRT who is the owner of a DME provider shop.

Here (the USA) you would not have the option of providing your clients w/a CPAP or VPAP as you determine their need. VPAPs and BPAPs require a specific prescription than a script for a CPAP and APAP.

ultimatestrap · Post by **ultimatestrap** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:17 pm

You say you use a chin strap...have you every checked out the ultimate chin strap for sleep apnea...?

CPAP clinician and CPAP User

CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Re: CPAP clinician and CPAP User

Mask	Humidifier

Mask

Mask

Mask