Xpap Experts for hire?

[justinjustin]

This is just a brainstorm, but I think I just had a business idea.

What if there was an agency of XPAP /SDB experts that were available to DMEs as an added service, or sold direct to patients, to put new Cpap users in touch with someone that can follow their treatment and be 'on call' to initially set expectations, give expert advice and workarounds and troubleshooting?

The idea would be like 'expert xpap coaching', but not clinical like a respiratory therapist or admins at DME (I found them almost useless).
We could have some way to credential the experts, guaranteeing they know their stuff, then their time is offered for an hourly rate.

I don't know about all of you, but I would have benefitted tremendously by having a caring compassionate expert there at the beginning to help me along and avoid common pitfalls and discouragements, while the DME was basically a merchandise paper-pusher.

Thoughts?
Reasons why this would never work in 100 years?
Would any of you have paid for a service like that? I know I would!

[Nick Danger]

Sounds interesting, but I suspect it would lead to charges of practicing medicine without a license. If you avoided that, then it might be practicing respiratory therapy without a license (if your jurisdiction licenses those - in the US that would be all states but Alaska).

[englandsf]

I also think there would be a licensing requirement. But the bigger question is - "would insurance pay for it?"

[justinjustin]

Sounds interesting, but I suspect it would lead to charges of practicing medicine without a license. If you avoided that, then it might be practicing respiratory therapy without a license (if your jurisdiction licenses those - in the US that would be all states but Alaska).

Well it could even be a service offered by a few respiratory therapists that 'get it' and delivered over Skype. There's just so much bad service out there that really causes significant negative impact on people's compliance and therapy.

[archangle]

The medical mafia would never allow it. You have to be a made man to participate. The medical equipment suppliers do some degree of assistance to distributors of their equipment, but that's mostly just efforts to sell more equipment.

Also, doctors are gods and it's blasphemy to suggest they're not omnipotent.

[Nick Danger]

I think it could work if you employed licensed respiratory therapists.

Then the next question is how to monetize it. The insurance company expects the DME to handle compliance - I doubt the insurance companies would pay a third party to help the patient. What would be the incentive for the DME to pay you? Would it decrease their overhead enough to not have to hire as many RTs to make it worth it for them to pay you? Would patients be willing to pay?

I suspect this step is the really hard one. Might it not pay better to set up as a DME and try to get on some insurance panels? I've read that DMEs make most of their money distributing O2 - don't know if that's actually true.

[LSAT]

The licensed repertory therapist at the DME should already be doing "some" of this FREE. If you are not getting the help you need from the DME...Jump ship.

[justinjustin]

The licensed repertory therapist at the DME should already be doing "some" of this FREE. If you are not getting the help you need from the DME...Jump ship.

I've never had a DME that offered anything except abysmal service and knowledge

[BlackSpinner]

The best way to offer this would be through a therapist practice. Most people's issues beyond the technical are psychological - sleeping with the mask on, sleep hygiene and such
The way to market it would be to DME's, advertising and sleep doctors. Many insurances will cover some therapy/counselings.

It would be similar to the way a doula works for pregnancy, child birth and post natal care.

ETA: You could also sell cd's with sleep/relaxation related scripts.

[kaiasgram]

You're giving me ideas again Blackspinner. I'm not up for trying to produce a CD but I've been feeling almost ready to try offering a support group in my practice. I always thought I would do that but in my first year I knew I was not far along enough in my own PAP journey to be comfortable offering such a group.

Justin, not too long ago someone came onto the forum to market her business as a private "clinical sleep educator." A registered sleep tech, she was going into business for herself. She did not get a good reception here, partly because she came here solely for her own gain and partly because she was pissed off and freaking out that we openly discuss learning how to adjust your own pressure when needed. In addition many of us were aghast at what seemed like exploitation of the naive -- for example, she was advertising a "Sleepiness Evaluation" for something like $50. I still remember her website -- if you're curious PM me and I'll send you the link, I just don't want to give her more exposure here.

I like the idea of someone with expertise but no monetary ties to DME's, RT's, Sleep Centers, etc. offering support services but I imagine the regulatory boards and scope of practice issues would have that person's hands tied pretty tight.

[LSAT]

The licensed repertory therapist at the DME should already be doing "some" of this FREE. If you are not getting the help you need from the DME...Jump ship.

I've never had a DME that offered anything except abysmal service and knowledge

That's your fault...Get rid of them. There are lots of good ones out there, but you need to look for them.

[mike1953]

My guess 2 years schooling minimum plus medical licensing, then getting accreditation so that insurance and or medicare would cover expenses and that is just to start. Then having to find a "good one" because just because they have all the above does not guarantee they will be the expert you want. As others have suggested just search around there are good DME's out there. All this IMHO.

[Wulfman...]

This is just a brainstorm, but I think I just had a business idea.

What if there was an agency of XPAP /SDB experts that were available to DMEs as an added service, or sold direct to patients, to put new Cpap users in touch with someone that can follow their treatment and be 'on call' to initially set expectations, give expert advice and workarounds and troubleshooting?

The idea would be like 'expert xpap coaching', but not clinical like a respiratory therapist or admins at DME (I found them almost useless).
We could have some way to credential the experts, guaranteeing they know their stuff, then their time is offered for an hourly rate.

I don't know about all of you, but I would have benefitted tremendously by having a caring compassionate expert there at the beginning to help me along and avoid common pitfalls and discouragements, while the DME was basically a merchandise paper-pusher.

Thoughts?
Reasons why this would never work in 100 years?
Would any of you have paid for a service like that? I know I would!

I think we already have it here on the forum......for "free".
SOME DMEs and doctors already point some of their patients/customers to this forum......but they're few and far between.
Most of them wouldn't want their patients/customers to find out how badly they've been getting ripped off already.
And, then there's the legal issues (lots of them).

It would never work.


Den

.

[ems]

This is just a brainstorm, but I think I just had a business idea.

What if there was an agency of XPAP /SDB experts that were available to DMEs as an added service, or sold direct to patients, to put new Cpap users in touch with someone that can follow their treatment and be 'on call' to initially set expectations, give expert advice and workarounds and troubleshooting?

The idea would be like 'expert xpap coaching', but not clinical like a respiratory therapist or admins at DME (I found them almost useless).
We could have some way to credential the experts, guaranteeing they know their stuff, then their time is offered for an hourly rate.

I don't know about all of you, but I would have benefitted tremendously by having a caring compassionate expert there at the beginning to help me along and avoid common pitfalls and discouragements, while the DME was basically a merchandise paper-pusher.

Thoughts?
Reasons why this would never work in 100 years?
Would any of you have paid for a service like that? I know I would!

I think we already have it here on the forum......for "free".
SOME DMEs and doctors already point some of their patients/customers to this forum......but they're few and far between.
Most of them wouldn't want their patients/customers to find out how badly they've been getting ripped off already.
And, then there's the legal issues (lots of them).

It would never work.


Den

.

No need to post in this thread... my thoughts are already here.

+1

[BlackSpinner]

You're giving me ideas again Blackspinner. I'm not up for trying to produce a CD but I've been feeling almost ready to try offering a support group in my practice. I always thought I would do that but in my first year I knew I was not far along enough in my own PAP journey to be comfortable offering such a group..

Yes they way to approach this is through the whole "life style change" aspect with an RT as back up for technical issues. There are plenty of people who find using the internet problematic so this forum is not for them. They also want a face-to-face and the feeling a real person is there to hold their hand and not judge them and to keep everything totally private if need be. There are so many mental & emotional challenges to using cpap therapy for many people - we see that here when we get spouses bitching about how cpap has "violated" their lives. We see that when people say they can't possibly breathe with a mask on. We see that when people say they fall asleep instantly when they take the mask off. We see that when people assume their sex lives are over now. None of those are technical problems.