Easy question

I know, I know...when do I have simple questions, but this is one I'm sure. I have to send in my smart card to the DME (was supposed to last Wednesday). My machine will still run without it, while I'm waiting for them to mail it back, right? My old machine, I only put the card in to download the data and then mail it. This one, I've kept in the whole time. Will they erase data? B/c I haven't received my card reader yet and I want to be able to start doing that, but wondering if all my recent data will be erased before I can do that.

Yes, your machine WILL run without the card. Yes, the DME will probably erase it. You could try asking them (nicely) not to, but I'm doubtful. When you get your reader, and the software, make sure to set EncorePro to NOT erase the data. Several folks here will help you with that.

Cheers!

Chuck

NyNurse33 wrote:I know, I know...when do I have simple questions, but this is one I'm sure. I have to send in my smart card to the DME (was supposed to last Wednesday). My machine will still run without it, while I'm waiting for them to mail it back, right?

RIGHT

NyNurse33 wrote:My old machine, I only put the card in to download the data and then mail it. This one, I've kept in the whole time. Will they erase data?

TELL THEM: "DON'T ERASE THE DATA!"

BTW, your machine will normally overwrite the detail data that is more than seven days old. It'll overwrite the oldest to make room fro the newest.It'll keep compliance data for six motnhs or so.

They might not even KNOW HOW to keep from erasing the data - they probably don't know of the existence of the simple little .exe file that, once double-clicked, lets you choose whether or not to erase it each time.

--CG

Actually it is a .reg file... but then who is counting?

The usual place for the file is:

c:\program files\respironics\encore pro\utilities

Then either double click on "dont erase data after download.reg" or "erase data after download.reg"

Both change a registry key...

Cheers!

Marc

Offerocker wrote:TELL THEM: "DON'T ERASE THE DATA!"

Unless the DME is very savvy about how to use Encore Pro and computers in general, they probably will erase the data even if they tried not to. I very much doubt they'd know how to (or even would want to) run the "do not erase" file, download your card, and then have to run the "do erase" file afterwards to be ready for other people's cards.

As Chuck said, detailed data that's about a week old gets overwritten anyway, no matter what. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

I wouldn't tell them "don't erase the card" simply because I don't think it would do any good to say that. It would be too complicated for them to figure out how not to, and is a little much to ask of someone working with an office computer that they probably aren't supposed to mess around with.

They're going to do the download the only way they've been taught to do it, anyway. All they're used to going to is the Summary Report to see "hours of use" (compliance) and the average 90th percentile pressure the machine used since you've had it.

The most you could hope for, imho, would be to ask them to print out the detailed data...and hope they knew how to even get to that in order to print out ten or so pages of nightly details (it's gonna be only the last 6 or 7 nights, remember) instead of printing out only the one page Summary report they're interested in.

NyNurse33 wrote:My old machine, I only put the card in to download the data and then mail it.

Same thing happened with your old machine from another company. It only puts the detailed data from the week before on the card, and puts months and months of "compliance" data on.

If you take your Respironics Smart Card to the DME, perhaps you could get them to give you another Smart Card to take home and put in the machine...to use for the days they've got your card.

The odds are the DME can't see more than compliance data, mine had the card three weeks and couldn't read it at all, I had to threaten them to get my card back.

The other day they wanted me to bring the machine in, to check the pressure and read the card. I told them I set the pressure and it was 1/2 Cm low, which was in spec. So I took them the printout. Jim

They didn't even notice the printout was for APAP, and they gave me CPAP.

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