General Information "G I"

Hello, My name is Ken. I am 67 years young, have lovely grey hair and have sleep apnea.
I am a veteran and am dealing with the Veterans Administration. I recently spent two
nights at a Hospital sleep study. Bottom line is that a new ResMed AirCurve 10 BIPAP
unit is on
it's way. However I have my concerns. Privacy is one of my top priority's. I simply do
not and will not have my medical data floating around someplace. This morning
I contacted my VA sleep center and spoke with an individual voicing my concerns.
According to her the VA will monitor my "progress" however my information is being
held only in the VA's system and is not permitted outside the veterans security
system. The information not be sent to anyone without the users written permission.
No changes will be made to my machine without my consent. Does this sound like a valid
statement? Be gentle with me. I am a new user. I will mention that I asked who owns
the machine. I was told that as soon as it arrives I am the owner. I have all the
necessary skills to surgically make (adjustment) to my machine if necessary. Thanks,
for listening.

They are not correct when they say your information is "held only in the VA's system and is not permitted outside the veterans security system."

Your data is uploaded to ResMed's servers and natively resides there. The VA then accesses it and possibly downloads it to there systems. Personally, I have zero concerns about my data being on ResMed or my medical teams system, but to each their own.

You can prevent it by putting your machine in Airplane mode, but have to use care to ensure you delete the data should you take it out of airplane mode. Or you can open the device and disconnect the modem.

DOG, Will ResMed be aware that the modem has been disconnected?
Can ResMed make adjustment without the persons permission?
So what you are telling me is that the VA is telling me a line of untruths?

What.....the VA not telling someone the truth??? They would never do that....cough, cough, cough.

ResMed probably won't do anything if you disconnect the modem or keep the machine in airplane mode. They won't get any data but beyond that they really don't do anything. There are no ResMed police just looking for people not sending data.
If they get data that's fine but they won't do anything if they don't get data.

What will happen is if the VA attempts to access the ResMed website for doctors and get the data then the VA will see there is no data available and they may or may not follow up on it.

ResMed won't ever change any of your settings even if they have the data. That's not what they do.
Now the VA can make changes remotely if they can reach your machine and if you have agreed to them making changes remotely....if you aren't in airplane mode or removed the modem.

Once the machine leaves the factory, Resmed has no interest or control.
If the VA has promised IN WRITING that they will not make any adjustments
without your consent, it will be actionable--just keep the proof.
Know, and record your settings, once you find your best numbers.
The VA may need access to data in order to authorize payment for supplies--
Unless they say they do not.
There is very little cause for concern, because nobody cares but you.

Yes I am the only one. I do care about my medical records. I have stage two prostate cancer\
along with a heart murmur. If someone is able to get into my breathing records then it is
simply a stones throw getting into my other medical issues. Yes I am concerned about my records
. According to the
conversation with the VA this morning the only way others can get into my breathing records
is if they have the models serial number. The VA told me that unless they have this information
others can not never access anything.Ken

You know if it bugs you then all you have to do is keep the machine in airplane mode and go buy a SD card and use the SD card contents with the VA if they ever want to evaluate your therapy.
Or you can take the machine in with you and they can access the results that way. It was done that way for years and years.

You don't have to have any of your information or machine results go out to the web.
You can still do it the old fashioned way with the SD card (likely your machine didn't come with one) so just go get a SD card and use it for data storage. Any generic cheap SD card will work just fine.

ResMed website itself does just use the machine's serial number for storage.
Someone has a record of patient name and serial number though...at the VA.
Email addresses are involved if the patient signs up for ResMed's MyAir website.
It would be difficult to tie them all together though....but not totally impossible if someone got their hands on all pieces of the pie.

I would put in an SD card and keep the machine in airplane mode. If the VA needs data to authorize payment for the machine or supplies, the data will be there on the card.

I keep mine in airplane mode all the time. I own the machine and have no coverage for CPAP or supplies, so it's nobody's business unless I ASK for help to address an issue not adequately being taken care of.

I'm a veteran as well, thanks for serving. I understand your concerns pertaining to privacy. Truth is, in today's world, no info is safe.... Been on pap therapy for 13 yrs through VA. In the past, veterans were not allowed to access sleep data, make pap changes, etc.... veterans had to take machine into clinic = long wait times, unless machine completely malfunctions.

Every VA is different, but in my case, now I have the freedom to interact with my sleep techs at VA, discuss data, making changes to my pap machine via thier instructions. Which is awesome !!! I love it, no wait times, and driving half way across the country I contact by phone or pm, sleep clinic contacts me, pertaining to concerns, within 48 hours.

Wish you well on your journey.....