DMEs Take a Swing at CPAP Internet Retailing - Please help!

[johnnygoodman]

Greetings,

The DME industry's major publication, HME News, is running a survey asking dealers if they think DME Manufacturers should get involved in setting service standards of care for online CPAP retailers.

DME Manufacturers are under the impression that DME dealers provide a level of service that is superior to online retailers. Please take the survey and let the industry know how you feel.

http://websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/15580/HMEPollJuly.htm

Johnny

[Bob...]

Took the survey.

WOW that felt good! Make sure you leave a comment.

Thanks johnny,

Bob

[neversleeps]

So the DMEs/HMEs are starting to mount an effort to quash the competition provided by internet providers like cpap.com under the guise of concern over "sufficient service and followup". Then they're trying to imply internet providers shouldn't have the right to set their own prices. Then they're trying to assert the internet providers should be governed by the DMEs/HMEs. Unbelievable. They might as well have said,
"We need to eliminate the competition. They are a threat. If we can't eliminate them, then we need to get them to raise their prices. If we can't eliminate them or get them to raise their prices, then we need to control them completely."
Too bad the poll is being presented to DMEs/HMEs and not the rest of the real cpap-using world.

Thanks Johnny, for bringing this to our attention.

I took the poll:

Are industry manufacturers doing enough to make sure Internet retailers of HME provide sufficient service and follow-up after an initial sale?
yes

If Internet retailers of HME give adequate service and follow-up after a sale, should they be able to sell products at any price they choose?
yes

Who should set the standards for Internet retailers: HME manufacturers or the free market?
free market

In 75 to 100 words, explain what HME manufacturers should do, if anything, to make sure Internet retailers of HME provide adequate service and follow-up after a sale. We'll try to run as many comments as possible in our August issue.
I tried to keep my comments clear, unemotional and professional. Despite this, my guess is we won't be seeing them in the August issue.

[tomjax]

I did too, but I think it was for providers rather than patients.

They may discount our votes if we are not a provider.

If only they knew!!!!

[Guest]

I did too, but I think it was for providers rather than patients.

They may discount our votes if we are not a provider.

If only they knew!!!!

There's no way they'll ever know who took the poll because identity/company are not required.

You raise an interesting point, though. Perhaps if it appears our comments are not coming from disgruntled end-users, we'll have more influence.

[Wulfman]

Thanks, Johnny.
Hope it does some good.
Please let us know when the survey results are published. I'm curious to see if they publish the comments, too.

Best wishes,

Den

[oldgearhead]

I think Congress should pass a law....requiring all xPAP users have an operator's permit, that can only be issued by a registered DME company with an office in your home town.

__YES or ___NO

[oldgearhead]

..lets put the curling irons in there too...

[oldgearhead]

..What about cell phones?..

[Wulfman]

I think Congress should pass a law....requiring all xPAP users have an operator's permit, that can only be issued by a registered DME company with an office in your home town.

__YES or ___NO

You're kidding.......right?

If not, I've already got my "operators permit".......it's called a "prescription".
(and the setup manual)

Den

[yardbird]

Thanks, Johnny for pointing us to the survey.

I don't think my comments will get published considering the intended audience for the publication, but here is what I wrote:

HME manufacturers should survey Internet retailers but not interfere. Educated consumers are using the internet and I've gotten MUCH better service from my online retailer than I EVER got from my local DME.

[Guest]

I think Congress should pass a law....requiring all xPAP users have an operator's permit, that can only be issued by a registered DME company with an office in your home town.

__YES or ___NO

LOL!

ADDENDUM:
and all adjustments must be made by the DME under penalty of imprisonment.

and the price of the equipment must remain artifically inflated.

and free enterprise must be stopped at any cost.

[MaskedMechanic]

I took the survey. Thanks Johnny!

Someone is clearly pressuring dme manufacturers to defend the brick and mortar retail dmes from the "evil internet retailers". Wonder who is behind this? Perhaps we should ask the editor. I looked at the publisher's website. Very nice. This does not bode well for the future of patient care IMHO. The dmes cast stones on patient care....gotta laugh at that one!

[angry guest]

Who the hell do these people think they are?

They create an industry so bad that online dealers like cpap.com can do a better job from 3000 miles away than they can from next door and THEN then tell those dealers that standards need to be put into place. If there was any justice in the world they would HIRE johnny to consult for the industry and tell them how to clean up their act. Then again, they probably don't want to hear "just have your patients buy from cpap.com"

If this does happen, it will mean higher prices or no internet options at all - won't it? I don't want to go back and buy a CPAP mask for $300.

Angry Guest

[Snoredog]

[quote="oldgearhead"]I think Congress should pass a law....requiring all xPAP users have an operator's permit, that can only be issued by a registered DME company with an office in your home town.

__YES or ___NO