#@$&##% DME

[pandatx]

So, just left the sleep doctor office. A-freakin-gain. The DME-slash-tech did give me my sleep study raw data but wouldn't give me a printed report. Just the disk. And wouldn't give me a new mask to try. I've been a bad girl so I can only have a study sample mask. Seriously.

[imfletch]

Time for you to find a new DME...one that gives a darn!!

[Pugsy]

Well...can't say as I am surprised.
You know my feelings. blankety blank 'em and the horse they rode in on.

Refresh my memory....your DME supplier and your sleep doctor...in cahoots together as a one stop shopping convenience thing????

[Guest]

Amy,

*IF* you get to a point where you want to try a full face mask, I have extra F&P 431's and will GLADLY send you one to try.

Send me a PM if you get to that point and want one.

[chunkyfrog]

I've had a couple like that. There are a few more I haven't tried locally, and if they don't pan out, I'll widen the search area.
Nice thing about Medicare--it's searchable, if not completely up-to-date.
Until I have to use one of them for supplies, I'll just use my favorite online store--and I won't lose their number--ever!

[Janknitz]

If they only provided you with a sample mask and didn't charge you, go to a better DME and get your insurance covered mask there. And if they charged you for a sample mask marked not for resale it's called FRAUD.

[chunkyfrog]

My first ex-DME tried that; I made financial excuses, they took it back, and I NEVER returned.

[carbonman]

I NEVER returned.

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
Smell, that gasoline smell, smells like...
Victory."
--Lt. Col. Bill Kilgor Apocalypse Now

[pandatx]

I asked about trying a full face mask and he told me he wouldn't let me try it b/c they didn't try one on my during my titration study. Whatever. I'm so over these people. I was a little peeved about them not giving me the printed report but honestly, they are not worth me getting worked up about. I have my good machine. I have my RX. I have my data. I don't think I need them anymore. I'm on private insurance and when I called and asked them what they required in terms of compliance they said "nothing". You got your diagnosis. Just get your equip when you need in from an in network DME.

[Pugsy]

Did you have a referral to the sleep doc group through your regular family physician? If so they should get a copy of the report..at least the dictated summary report.
You could ask them for a copy...of if they didn't get a copy have the family doctor request a report...the sleep docs office won't refuse that request.

[pandatx]

I got the referral from my ENT and all they got was the 2 page dictated summary. This whole thing is too stupid for words. The sleep doctor doesn't look at data?? He orders the S9 Escape Auto b/c all he cares about is the AHI number. What the hell kind of specialist is that? I just put the CD contents on my computer but when I open the files they look empty. I'm hoping that is just b/c I don't have that Alice software. Because if they gave me an empty CD I'm gonna blow a freaking gasket.

[chunkyfrog]

It sounds like they either gave you raw data or a blank disc.
I would have expected a disc full of PDF's or something I could read.
This may be a HIPAA violation; you could pursue it or fugeddaboudit.
You have already taken care of the important stuff.

[NotLazyJustTired]

I got the referral from my ENT and all they got was the 2 page dictated summary. This whole thing is too stupid for words. The sleep doctor doesn't look at data?? He orders the S9 Escape Auto b/c all he cares about is the AHI number. What the hell kind of specialist is that? I just put the CD contents on my computer but when I open the files they look empty. I'm hoping that is just b/c I don't have that Alice software. Because if they gave me an empty CD I'm gonna blow a freaking gasket.

What does the directory of the CD look like? I expect these files are binary (probably EDF files) and, if so, cannot be read properly by most available software.

[mcdover]

Sleep docs that sell machines should be avoided like the plague. They answer to no one and don't give two craps if you do leave and never come back. They'll just keep studying people and selling their unsuspecting patients, crap. Some of the most miserable people I have ever encountered, work for/in doctor's offices.

[akcpapguy]

Right click one of the files and select “properties”, and then look at the size of the file to actually see if there is data there. I am not familiar with the data structure that the Alice software uses, however I do know that you probably can’t read the files without the Alice software unless you are very computer savvy. If you are looking for a paper copy of your raw data I highly doubt it would happen with significant expense or your part. While I was running the sleep lab at Walter Reed Army Medical Center a VIP and his physician requested a paper copy of the raw data of his sleep study. Printing the 5.5 hours of raw data took one employee 4 hours and 7.5 BOXES of paper, that’s 37,500 pages. Needless to say that is the last time we ever provided that service to anyone. The physician and VIP personally called myself and the medical director apologizing for the waste of resources to provide this printout to them. Had we charged him the going rate (.15 at the copy room) per page for the printout, it would have cost him $5,625. I should mention that we used Somno Star software at the time.