Encore software still available says Respironics

[mikester]

I'm willing to sell my copy of Encore Pro 1.6 and my card reader for $200, which is about what I paid for them. I've found that after the initial novelty of being able to view all the data wore off, I just don't use it anymore. Also, I'm not thrilled about having a piece of software that won't be supported, especially since I will probably be upgrading to Vista in the next 6 months or so.

PM me if you're interested.

[Nazareth]

But mainly, as long as DMEs toss a person a mask and when it leaks like crazy and bores a sore into the bridge of their nose tell the person, "Sorry, you can't have a new mask for 3 months or 6 months" THAT'S where the whole thing breaks down. imho.

Exactly Rested Gal. The patient then become non compliant with their machines out of necessity, and are putting hteir lives at risk- often unknowingly- which brings us back to the point that even the insurance companies are being reckless with people's lives by stating that a person can't get the proper treatment equptment (in the form of correct fitting masks)- it's all very maddening really.

[Patrick A]

But mainly, as long as DMEs toss a person a mask and when it leaks like crazy and bores a sore into the bridge of their nose tell the person, "Sorry, you can't have a new mask for 3 months or 6 months" THAT'S where the whole thing breaks down. imho.

Boy RG you hit that square on the nail head.

DME's are stuck with what Medicare sets as a guide line and most insurance companys follow. But the bottom line is thae almighty dollar !!![/b]
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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): DME

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): DME

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): DME

[rested gal]

My contention is still that they can and should write another interface for the general user -- no "write" to the card if that's what will make them feel better.

I agree. Absolutely.

the data is important, at least to me and I know others here, to keep track of how the treatment is progressing -- or not.

I agree again. Absolutely.

The problem is... those of us who do consider the data important and who do want to keep track of how our treatment is progressing -- or not -- we are a drop in the bucket to the manufacturers, the doctors, and the DMEs.

The vast, vast majority of people prescribed cpap would never take any interest at all in anything more than how to turn the machine on and off and how to fill the humidifier. And how to get that #$% mask to be more comfortable. If they don't just give up and quit treatment, period.

I believe most DMEs (and a good many doctors) consider a knowledgable, questioning person a pain to deal with anyway. We take up time. To the "professionals" with ego problems and less knowledge than they should have about this kind of treatment, we're annoying to deal with.

It suits the manufacturers fine to keep the end user as far away as they can. The doctors and the DMEs are the real customers..the real end users...in the eyes of the manufacturers.

Since most cpap users out in this big old world are not the least bit interested in knowing the name of their machine or their mask or what their pressure is, much less have any interest in seeing their treatment data via software, there's no real pressure (no pun intended) of any kind on the manufacturers to develop software intended for the patient.

Heaven forbid! If the manufacturers actually did that, they'd be expected to support the "patient's software." They don't want to hear from us. They're quite content raking in the money with a solid buffer of doctor and DME between them and us.

We are a drop in the bucket to all of them. If that kind of software is ever to be created, it will have to be developed, imho, by the real end user in our eyes. Us.

Well, not me, since I don't know how. LOL!!

[Slinky]

Amen, RG. (And I "ain't" smart enough either!!!)

[socknitster]

Very true, RG. They don't want to hire a software support team. Arg. This whole mess is really a pain in the patout!

Jen

[Hosed All Night]

Funny thing is anyone can turn on a Resperonics and access the machine's settings without the software. My new DME rep showed me how and gave me all the manuals to boot! Bottom line is Resperonics doesn't make money selling software It's a low end sideline product. They make money selling machines. I bought the software before it was no longer available. The software is pretty basic, and IMO not very well written and not worth $200. What does it do...? Generates a few crappy charts with useless therapy "flags". Big deal. What I do is export the numbers to Excel and generate a AHI graph with a polynonial trend... this shows me if my AHI numbers are drifting up or down over time.

[Goofproof]

I, for one will never buy a XPAP, that doesn't capture all the data I need to see if my treatment works. I may not need to buy another because I plan ahead.

If I couldn't get the software, I wouldn't buy Resmed or Remstar, I'd find what I needed elsewhere. Jim

[robbieh]

I wonder if it would make any difference to gather signatures on a petition to ask that the software or another version without ability to change the settings... would be made available to the end users? There is strength in numbers. We can complain in here all we want and it will do no good. But if we are proactive... that might do the trick. I bet there are some sleep techs, docs, DME providers and RTs who would support us.

[bipappap]

My treatment worked so well in the beginning that I wasn't too concerned about how everything worked, but in the last few months I haven't been doing as well so now I am becoming more interested. I have a Bipap Pro 2 with a smart card. I am now interested in what is on the card. I guess I became interested at the wrong time as the software is no longer available.

If anyone knows someone who wants to get rid of one ( from reading here I guess the version I want is Encore 1.6) or has any ideas let me know.

[6PtStar]

Did you check with "mikester" first post at the top of this page. He posted that he wanted to sell his copy of Encore 1.6i. Might send him a PM. Bottom left corner of the page.

[gasp]

As a side note, sometimes I wonder just how seriously OSA is realllly taken even by some of the sleep professionals themselves. Let people show a drop in O2 and the medical world rushes to put them on supplemental O2 immediately. But let a person show that they can't breathe an average of 60 times an hour during sleep, and some of them have to wait several weeks to be brought back for a titration study and eventually be given a cpap machine.

It's been 1 month since my titration and I haven't heard a peap out of my doctor whom I have not seen face-to-face yet! However, he has come through with the needed prescriptions to the DME when they were requested.

But mainly, as long as DMEs toss a person a mask and when it leaks like crazy and bores a sore into the bridge of their nose tell the person, "Sorry, you can't have a new mask for 3 months or 6 months" THAT'S where the whole thing breaks down. imho.

Now my DME, for the most part has been AMAZING, working diligently to get me the machine I wanted and needed and masks that fit and produce results.

From what I've learned, unless the company reimburses them for masks, or honors a warrantly, then the DME has to charge us for the masks. Insurance is the one who limits how often we get a new mask, not the DME. My DME however, takes advantage of the warranty by Respironics etc and gave me another size when the one they fit me with didn't work, and even went to a completely different mask manufacturer when the first one given couldn't be fit.

DMEs need to have sterilization procedures and allow users to try on a wide variety of masks provided by Respironics etc and use the masks in the office under pressure before purchasing a new mask. Oh well, Utopia....

[Bert_Mathews]

As a side note, sometimes I wonder just how seriously OSA is realllly taken even by some of the sleep professionals themselves. Let people show a drop in O2 and the medical world rushes to put them on supplemental O2 immediately. But let a person show that they can't breathe an average of 60 times an hour during sleep, and some of them have to wait several weeks to be brought back for a titration study and eventually be given a cpap machine.

How TRUE........ I have found MORE male friends that have a system in the closet they never use because of lack of support or anybody caring -- ONE I thing die because he didn't use the equipment?? { only found out after he was gone! }

But mainly, as long as DMEs toss a person a mask and when it leaks like crazy and bores a sore into the bridge of their nose tell the person, "Sorry, you can't have a new mask for 3 months or 6 months" THAT'S where the whole thing breaks down. imho.

Now my DME, "IS USELESS" luckily I took interest in my own health and medication --- The software has been a lifesaver for me!!!!

I don't have the ability to do the software -BUT- willing to support anybody that can come up with something........................

[Goofproof]

Starting a petition, or even a dialog with the involved companies would be useless. The only thing they care about is the bottom line, we are not their customers, so we don't exist. The only thing that would make a difference is voting with your money, and that won't work because Americans don't have the backbone to go out of the way, just to do what's right. Most people take the path of least resistance. It doesn't matter to a lot of people, as the INS or GOV, picks up the bill, but that's not true, we all pay the bill in the end in higher premiums and taxes, and more health problems down the road. Jim

[goose]

You're so right GoofProof!!!!
My wife, the RN, had a billing issue with a doctors charges -- I don't remember the specifics because it was a long time ago -- but the bottom line was the doctors office, when questioned about the discrepancy (double billing or some such thing), said, "What do you care. The insurance company is going to pay for it."
No wonder our rates are so high and coverage so "slim".....

cheers
gg