DME Time Frames

My ENT saw me on Tuesday, 6/16/09 and wrote a prescription for a CPAP. I have not been contacted by a DME yet. Any idea on what the normal time frame would be? Standard Operating Procedure? Do they come to me, do I go to them?

I was diagnosed with hypopnea with desaturation to 74% and would like to sleep.

Thanks

they vary a lot as to how well or badly they are organised and I suggest you chase after them, go and see them if you can

BunkyBryce wrote:My ENT saw me on Tuesday, 6/16/09 and wrote a prescription for a CPAP. I have not been contacted by a DME yet. Any idea on what the normal time frame would be? Standard Operating Procedure? Do they come to me, do I go to them?

I was diagnosed with hypopnea with desaturation to 74% and would like to sleep.

Thanks

Do you physically have the prescription? If not, what happened to it? You need to have it regardless of where your equipment comes from.

There is no "SOP"......they all work differently.


Den

No, I don't have the prescription. It was faxed to the sleep lab who told me they sent it to their DME. They told me to wait for the DME to call me. Should I get the prescription from the ENT and then, if needed, shop for a satisfactory DME on my own?

Thanks for the help.

BunkyBryce wrote:No, I don't have the prescription. It was faxed to the sleep lab who told me they sent it to their DME. They told me to wait for the DME to call me. Should I get the prescription from the ENT and then, if needed, shop for a satisfactory DME on my own?

Thanks for the help.

I gather that you don't know which DME got it.
The doctor should have given it to you, regardless.
There are too many cozy relationships between doctors/sleep labs/DMEs.
Your prescription is good for life if you should ever desire to purchase a machine from an online seller like CPAP.COM.
Many of us were able to do some "shopping" to see where we could get the best deals on the equipment WE wanted to get. (I purchased my equipment from CPAP.COM and then submitted an invoice to my insurance for reimbursement)
Alot of it depends on your insurance provider, too. (if the DME is on their list of approved providers)

Den

Ok, a bump and some background.

In 2004 I was diagnosed with apnea. No insurance, so I bought a machine. Without support I became noncompliant, had septoplasty and turbinate reduction and sold my machine. My titration level was 8.

Now, I have hypopnea with 77 events in a 4 hour split study and a titration of 11. Oxygen went from 95 before sleep to 74 during.

I have hypertension, am irritable and lethargic. I would like to get a machine and may be a little impatient. I am also concerned about my health.

ENT wrote a scrip on 6/16. Sleep center sent it to DME, but I haven't heard from them. I have requested a copy of the scrip and sleep study from my ENT.

Should I be worried? Should I be patient.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

And, I am having issues with the forum - forced to enter confirmation code even though I logged in and get welcome email everytime I log in, not allowed to post under my registered username.

Thanks again

As mentioned before, they're all different. I'd probably give it a week before starting to worry.

If it was me, I would call the DME and ask them if they got the prescription, just to make sure no one has dropped the ball. You can also get a time frame from them as to when you can expect your equipment, and use the opportunity to ask what kind of mask and machine they will be selling you. Then bring that info here and see if they are setting you up with decent equipment or not. How helpful and informative they are could be your first glance at how user friendly they will be. Good Luck!

Check to be sure your browser is accepting cookies from cpaptalk.com = for login problem.

Should prob start with your insurance- to find out which DME's are in network - meaning know what your options are.

Ask DME for exactly make & model of the machine and mask.

GumbyCT wrote:Check to be sure your browser is accepting cookies from cpaptalk.com = for login problem.

Should prob start with your insurance- to find out which DME's are in network - meaning know what your options are.

Ask DME for exactly make & model of the machine and mask.

I also find cpaptalk.com has a problem if you use a proxy server

Just for the record, I have no idea why my id is listed in the "also posted as" under the original poster's posting.

I've never posted when not logged on....and I have never posted as any other name.

Maybe we all have AOL as a carrier.....?

J

BunkyBryce,
Ditto to what's already been said. Just adding that you already feel like family. Oh wait, maybe that's because my son-in-law is named Bunky, grandson is Bryce. Welcome.
Kathy

I talked to the DME today and he ordered me a Fisher Paykel Flexifit 407 Nasal Mask. I see it has the arm on the forehead, not thrilled about this...any feedback? Technicians coming Thursday to hook me up.

Thanks.

BunkieBrice wrote:I talked to the DME today
----
Technicians coming Thursday to hook me up.

Did you find out what machine they are bringing? The exact full name of the machine, if you can get them to say the entire name.

Then check the name they tell you against these names, to see if it's a machine that will provide useful AHI and leak data, or not:

My list of machines that record "full data" (AHI and leak info) and those that don't -- as of October 2008:
viewtopic.php?p=307168#p307168

DME might not understand what "Full data" is.
viewtopic.php?p=344265#p344265

Update, not sure anyone is following this, but, DME called me day before yesterday, Tuesday, and scheduled a tech to come see me tomorrow. So, sleep study on 6/7, cpap coming on 6/25. I called my ENT and asked for a copy of my sleep study and prescription last Friday - shocker, no word back since. DME tells me he has three machines and an order for a Fisher Paykel 407 mask. Not sure what I will end up with tomorrow, but I think I would like some form of data.

So, I am so anxious to sleep that I will take whatever I get and then deal with insurance and mask issues later.

Thanks for all the help and I will keep you updated. I hope to report amazing sleep on Friday.