does a DME have to do the set up in your home?

[brucelegs]

an off the wall query ... must a DME do a home set up?

I've learned so much here that I will be completely comfortable when I get my machine next month after meeting with the doc to get my prescription. I pre-screened over the phone my selected DME (a nice mom and pop here on the seacoast with whom I had a very nice chat with this afternoon), but I never asked that question. She could tell from my questions that I have done my homework even to the point of discussing machines and data capabilities. They sound like they encourage people to monitor from home too !! yippie!! I'm already planning the rearrangement of my bedroom to accommodate the equipment

so is it normally required to do an at home set up? If so, I may need to hire a maid

[Wulfman]

No, they don't......"have" to. Many times they just hand the stuff to the new patient at the DME office and send them on their way. Then, there are those of us who purchased our equipment online......we just read the directions and set them up ourselves.

I know there are local DMEs in this area who DO come to the homes and (I believe) give pretty good service in that regard. I think it depends on the "luck of the draw" in which DME a person gets.

Den

[rested gal]

Since the mom'n'pop DME that you talked to seemed nice, I'll bet they'd agree to your going by to just pick up the equipment and not insist on coming to your house to set it up. Even if they usually do the setup at the person's house, I'll bet they'd understand why you'd rather not have them come there, and would go along with your preference to go to their office and take it home yourself.

What machine did you decide on? Did you tell them exactly what model you want?

[brucelegs]

When I spoke with Laura over the phone today I mentioned both the Remstar M series auto with a-flex (or the pro with c-flex) and the Resmed S8 Elite with EPR - she sounded pretty excited to be talking with someone who had done their research and was quite enthusiastic that my doc (whom I have not even met with yet), would have no problem with that Rx and agreed that a fully data capable machine is what they recommend at their office. I'm pretty excited too. I had heard wonderful things about this DME and it looks that they are indeed for real. I wanted to stay away from the national chain DMEs and since I had a choice of DME in my network (from a list of 10), it's looking good - I bet she even knows about this group, we'll find out in a few weeks when I meet with her. If she doesn't I will be sure to tell her.

Mary-Ellen in NH

[rested gal]

"Laura", eh? No wonder she wants you to have a machine that records full data.

Laura in TN (or any place else I go.)

[sam1234]

My DME required that they set up the machine for me, in person. I had to drive 35 miles to meet with the tech, at the DME's office, and receive the machine. I brought my mask with me. He knew less then I did about the machine. He admitted that he was not familiar with APAP machines. I also asked him about full faced masks. He never heard of a ResMed Quattro FF mask. I found out later, that my questions regarding masks were useless with this tech because they have "other" techs that specialize in masks.

I am only going to stay tied to this DME until the rental ends. I am going to see if I can purchase masks through a different approved DME.

I am glad that you are happy with your DME. Someday, I hope to be happy with mine.

[junie]

I had to drive a hour to get my cpap and mask, when I went there I didn't know nothing about they gave me my
machine and my mask and that was that came home and set it up my self, Then I called them told them I wanted
a FFmask they mailed me the medium and it was to big gave them my credit card no. and I end up going some
where else to buy a FFmask small, Wish you all the luck to you,

[sleeplessinaz]

Hi There---back a year and a half ago when I was first diagnosed---I had RTA HOMECARE as my DME. They were great!! They came to my home at my convenient hour (after work) and set up my machine on my bedside table. They fitted my mask and I got to try it out while laying in my own bed----and all was great!! If I needed any supplies from then on--all I had to do was call them and they would hand deliver it to my doorstep and hand it to me and ask if I had any questions. There were great!!

I change insurances and have APria now --no complaints about them either. I don't need all that hand holding like I did in the beginning (thanks to this forum!!) so I just call Apria and they mail me anything and everything that I ask for --no questions asked. I have Cigna PPO insurance now.

Carrie

[TheDreamer]

I don't know what I would've done if a home visit was required for my CPAP setup....I'd probably have backed out and not gotten it.

I have no idea who I would call to have my condo cleaned....it would have to be somebody that could be bribed with a reasonable wad of cash, and that I would never have to see again.

I once hired a friend to clean my home....after about 4 hours, she was only about half done, but I paid her in full...bathrooms were cleaner than they had ever been...though my parents still complained that they weren't clean enough. A couple weeks later I heard that she had fled town...other friends said it was good that I gave her that money, it enabled her to get away from her abusive/cheating boyfriend.

The last time was hiring somebody to clean the house while I was moving away....

In between I had lots of trouble find somebody that wouldn't back out once they found out who I was....apparently I had a reputation....darn small town life....

I know my condo is a mess, but its mine....and its a livable mess.

OTOH, I'm sure the mask fitting/trial might have worked better if I had been laying down when doing it...which wasn't possible at the DME office, but would've been possible on my own bed.

Though the fact that to make space for the CPAP and stuff, I just reached into my night stand, and scooped everything out onto the floor.... probably would've caused some kind of reaction.

The Dreamer.

[Debjax]

When I spoke with Laura over the phone today I mentioned both the Remstar M series auto with a-flex (or the pro with c-flex) and the Resmed S8 Elite with EPR

I'm not sure what the full difference is, but if you go with the Resmed, get the Elite II, not the plain Elite. My understanding is that it is quieter than the Elite, and I now mine is pretty quiet.

When I got my first machine, I went to the DME and she set it up, fitted me for my first mask, explained in detail the pieces and parts of the system and how to use it all, and told me to make sure it was at least 6 inches below the top of my mattress if possible. For hubby's machine, she met us at our doctor's office, since the doc wanted to see hubby at the same time. Again, she set it up, explained the pieces and parts to him while I was in for my appointment with the doc, then explained it all to me again, since hubby wouldn't remember it all (after his heart attack, his short term memory is pretty bad).

When she swapped out my RemStar for the ResMed Elite II, she came to my office, set the machine settings for me, asked if I needed her to explain again (same as hubby's that's why she swapped mine out for me), I said no.

[Debjax]

I don't know what I would've done if a home visit was required for my CPAP setup....I'd probably have backed out and not gotten it.

I have no idea who I would call to have my condo cleaned....it would have to be somebody that could be bribed with a reasonable wad of cash, and that I would never have to see again.

SON! Oh, wait, you don't actually look like him...

[rested gal]

I'm not sure what the full difference is, but if you go with the Resmed, get the Elite II, not the plain Elite. My understanding is that it is quieter than the Elite

I've not heard an Elite II but that's my understanding too..that the " II " models are quieter than the previous models of same name.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I just got an S8 Elite ii with EPR about 2 months ago. It is a wonderful machine and it is MUCH quieter than my RemStar Auto with C flex was. I also got a Humaidaire 4i integrated humidifier. LOve the machine!

On a side note, for my original machine (which died) and my new replacement machine the S8, my DME came to my place of employment to set it up and instruct me (an RT comes to do it - not a driver). They knew I worked in a hospital and had long shifts, and that it would be mroe convienent for ME to come to set me up at work! I do have an awesome DME though. SO, no - they do not need to come to your home necessarily.