CPAP and hospitals.....comment

[LSAT]

Over the years I have noticed several posts regarding use of CPAP in the hospital, whether to bring your CPAP and whether the hospitals will allow you to use your personal CPAP. My wife is going in for surgery and our local hospital sent her some information showing "What to bring with you to the hospital". In the booklet it specifically lists....Your CPAP (if required).

[PST]

The last time I brought my CPAP to the hospital it was fine with everyone, but there was an incredible charge on my bill for inspecting it. It is difficult or impossible, of course, to say what the charge actually amounted to, since the bill is so discounted by the insurer. However, if I recall correctly, the face amount was more than $700. To add insult to injury, the inspection was performed during the night when I wanted to sleep. I didn't pay any attention to what the young woman (she looked like she could have been in junior high) was doing, so I don't know if she was just checking to be sure the machine was electrically safe or what. I dozed off (unmasked) instead. Whatever she did, she was charging neurosurgeon rates for it.

[DreamStalker]

...
I know that this will start an argument...but...I think this is what we can expect under obama's national healthcare.

oops, I guess the national healthcare mess has already started without obama ...

[DannyPh]

When I was Hospitalized last year I took my cpap and the Hospital check to see the condition of the machine and approved it for use. No Problems with the hospital but I guess it depends on the Hospital.

[nanwilson]

I'm going in on the 30th for surgery and was told I did not need my machine as there will be one there ready for me to use. Sceptical me told my daughter we will put it in the car anyway..........just in case
Cheers

[chunkyfrog]

Why wait until an impending hospital stay to talk to the people there about bringing your PAP,
and possible charges if you do? Ask ahead of time--give them time to think about it.
Policy can change at any time, but it's good for them to believe if their policy is not PAP-friendly, they may lose 'business'.

[akcpapguy]

If your hospital is JACHO certified it MUST inspect EVERY piece of electrical equipment used in a patient care area. This includes items used by staff as well ie. radios, mp3 players and cell phones if they are being charged. This inspection is on the ELECTRICAL portion of the equipment only, they do not check the overall operation of the equipment, only the electrical safety of it. I have never heard of a hospital charging for this service, but there is always a first for everything as there may be in LSAT's case. With all that said there are many hospitals that do not check equipment, they are running a huge risk. There are also many staff even in hospitals that check equipment who do not know that it needs to happen.

[Janknitz]

It's always a good idea to have a talk with your surgeon ahead of time and ask him/her to write specific orders for the CPAP. Otherwise, some facilities will not allow you to use it because it's a medical device not ordered by the physician.

Check ahead of time whether it needs to be inspected. If you use nasal pillows, consider a full face or nasal mask with an O2 canula port so the hospital won't have to hunt around for a way to connect O2 to your mask if you need it (there is an adaptor for nasal pillow masks, but they may not be able to find one for you at 2 a.m.).

If you're going to surgery, ask a family member to hold on to it until after the surgery so it doesn't get lost. Train a trusted family member to set up the machine for you if you'll be groggy, hopefully someone who can also show the nursing staff how to at least turn it off and on and fill the reservoir if needed. Bring distilled water with you, they will charge you a fortune for it in the hospital!

[chunkyfrog]

--I have put my name on my machine/humidifier with Sharpie;
I may label the rest of the stuff as well--best to be prepared.

[Sloop]

The last few times I have been in the hospital, I brought my own CPAP. I remember the respiratory therapist visiting my room bringing a hospital CPAP and mask. I told him I already had my own. But in looking at their machine and mask, whew -- looked like it was from the dark ages.

[kteague]

...If you use nasal pillows, consider a full face or nasal mask with an O2 canula port so the hospital won't have to hunt around for a way to connect O2 to your mask if you need it (there is an adaptor for nasal pillow masks, but they may not be able to find one for you at 2 a.m.)...

That little nugget of wisdom is priceless! It's the kind of thing that would have never crossed my mind - until too late. Thanks!

[Elle]

I was in hospital for 4 days (unexpected after emerg visit) and they didn't have a cpap machine. I had no way of getting mine from home so I woke up with blue lips every morning. I asked for a pules ox just to be sure and it kept alarming so I took it off since there was no way of correcting the desats short of staying awake.

[Xney]

I was in hospital for 4 days (unexpected after emerg visit) and they didn't have a cpap machine. I had no way of getting mine from home so I woke up with blue lips every morning. I asked for a pules ox just to be sure and it kept alarming so I took it off since there was no way of correcting the desats short of staying awake.

Yikes! How can they not have some type of machine which can do PAP??

the pulse ox is alerting for a reason!

[chunkyfrog]

Elle:I would have left the pulse ox ON.
Better they be inconvenienced than you leave in a bag.

[Elle]

The beeping was keeping me awake and I had to turn it off every time it alarmed. I told the nurse to set it at 88 hoping it wouldn't alarm as often but it still beeped. I have a feeling the nurses didn't know much about sleep apnea.