UPDATE: THE FUTURE OF SLEEP THERAPY

Well the future is almost here!

And apparently that's 10:13 AM in the eastern time zone.

I will be surprised if they announce anything other than the three PR machines we already know about.

But we're about to find out!

Well it's here!



http://respironicssleeptherapysystems.respironics.com/



So far I find nothing new here. Like I previously said, this is the official launch of the new machines. Other than pictures, I don't really see any exact product line up. They still show Encore Viewer as being a product. But I haven't found the product line up yet. And the old style machines are no longer pictured anywhere.

Oh, here it is:



The link: http://respironicsremstars.respironics.com/

Thanks for all the info socialmonkey!

Has anyone found a list of respironic masks and their resistance number? I've been trying to find one so I can use the Resistance Control feature.

Any news about the client Encore version ? I've searched and found nothing. I got a PR System One and currently i have no option to read and analyse the SD card data

Thanks,

Here are some interesting video's from the PR product launch at Medtrade. For a good look at the new machines check out some of these You Tube videos.

Phillips Respironics Medtrade 2009 System one Product Launch by Donald Spence CEO: (turns out he's a C-papper too).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK4ti2MP ... r_embedded

Phillips Respironics System One Humidification advancements:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXeTmGhQ ... r_embedded

Phillips Respironics System one Dry Box:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0DcTnIn ... r_embedded

Phillips Respironics Medtrate System One Product Go-Round:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH_5e08H ... r_embedded

DreamDiver wrote:Everyone, I've been re-reading some of polysomno-man's posts. Although it may come across at times that he is defending DME's, I'm not really sure this is his motive. He is a sleep tech. The most useful, helpful slice of people in this business tends to be the sleep techs. They don't get paid the big bucks, and they do more real work than the doctors do. They don't get a kickback or commission. They probably know more than the doctors do about the machines and the software. Instead of being angry at his message, maybe we should be listening to the messenger. We cannot condemn him for telling us what we already know, but I suspect he may have more information that will be useful if we cut him some slack.

For my part, if he's not here to try to change the way we help each other, I would like to apologize for questioning his motives. He may feel it could harm his job security to come right out and more than acknowledge that the system is messed up. He's not likely to tell us what we should do with regards to machine setting changes because as a professional in the field, it may come across as 'diagnosis' - which would be illegal, since he's not a doctor. He's got a very thin line as to what he can actually say, but when it comes to general policy, I think he's allowed to tell us what he actually thinks about it.

This is his original quote:

datguyyouallhate - also posted as polysomno-man wrote:I doubt you will see the software available to the public. They don't want the public changing their pressures and self medicating. This is why ResMed doesn't sell their CPAP's to alot of websites either. They want the DME's to have a role in people's health. They want the DME's to start doing their jobs better, and to have people stop guessing at what they should do and have a reliable source for information. I've talked to both companies reps, and they hate the idea of people trying to "self medicate" their pressures. Not my words, its theirs. So if you want to go on a rant, make sure you don't aim it at me. I am just telling you what I was told.

He's not telling us he likes it. I'm not sure he exactly agrees with it. He is telling us that Phillips Respironics is trying to inculcate a different culture into the DME system in an effort to change their education. He has consistently attempted to tell us what's going on inside the corporate culture system - asking us not to be judgemental about presenting what PR and others would like to do.

Yes it's a thorny issue, again - maybe we should rant less against the messenger and acknowledge that the message has been received and understood: PR wants to keep us in the dark for two reasons: a. The US is a litigious society, and b. Given that, the most effective profit mechanism is to keep us in the dark and foist litigation damage control onto the demesne the DME's. It's a profit driven motive for a litigious society.

I have to agree with him about this: It is unlikely that an unhampered version of Encore Viewer 2 will be released with all the data we would like to see - if they release one at all. Our best bet will be to take this to a 'higher court' so-to-speak, and convince the powers that be that we are better off with a system similar to that of tools used for diabetes. The question becomes, where do we take it? Who do we talk to, and how do we get represented? We want full access to the data using the unadulterated software. We want full disclosure and education to the level of each user's or patient advocate's capability. polysomno-man, I'd like to hear your thoughts on that.

Everyone - what steps should we take to make this happen? Together we have a voice. Why not use it?

Thanks DreamDiver. I guess you were the only person who read my message all the way through. I don't agree with the way things are being ran right now, and I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I talk to the DME's, CPAP companies etc. and try to fill them in on the voices I have heard on here among other places. I get angry responses from them, just like I do from some here. They want to know why I am so adimate on CPAP users having more say and control of their treatment, and when I come here some of you act like I am some kind of spy. Not everyone in sleep medicine is trying to wring you and your insurance company dry. Are we trying to make money? Well of course we are. We are a business after all. All though some people on here haven't given me a chance, (which is fine) maybe some of you will realize I am here to try to help. I have found the best way of helping is by listening to your concerns. I pretty much know that some of you will always think I have other motives, which honestly makes me laugh. What could I benefit from pretending I am who I am? If I was going to pretend to be someone or something, it wouldn't be a sleep tech. I would rather be a pilot or something. I wouldn't chose a medical profession because everyone is constantly ridiculing this field. I didn't get in this field for respect or for money though. I got in it for personal reasons. As far as O's response when I mentioned putting bleach and ammonia in the humidifier, someone was trolling me for a subject I started in humor. At the time I didn't realize that taping mouths shut was such a sensitive subject, and I made some people mad. As far as the bleach comment, come on people. The smiley faces should clearly indicate it was a joke. I am not here to recruit fans. I am just asking you all to look at it for what it was. So far my welcome here hasn't been very warm. If it weren't for OSA patients that I talk to in person, I probably wouldn't even come here. But, I am not going to let a couple of people keep me from telling the rest of you things that you may find beneficial. I know I don't have all the answers, and since reading many posts here I realize many of you do know much more than some medical personal I have known. I am not here for any other reason than to see if I can give sleep medicine a better name by one person at a time. I know there are things you can post to show that I haven't done that, but I could also point to different people who have contacted me from here and asked me to read their pressures, ask about masks, or maybe the fact that I have sent out several masks to different users in the last year. I don't ask for anything in return, including the postage that I pay for out of my own pocket. I am not looking for praises, just telling you the facts. I have offered free masks on the public forum before, just to get comments on how wasteful my hospital is if we can do that. It almost seems like no matter what I will post, someone will try to say something rude. I can live with that, because knowing that I have helped out some makes it worth while. Also the ideas I have come up with from user complaints makes it worth coming here. Since my first visit here my 2 labs now have loaner programs, free masks, easier protocols for split night studies, and better follow up. I am excited about our changes, especially our loaner program where a patient can try CPAP before commiting to a test, or where they can get a loaner until their test is complete. We even have a program where we accept donations of CPAP units and then give them to people who don't have insurance, or have crappy insurance that doesn't pay well on the CPAPs. Also giving our patient's 1-2 free masks per study is making people more compliant. So, thanks for voicing your concerns. I read many stories but comment on very few. I just wanted to let you all know that so you know atleast some labs are being changed for the better off of your bad experiences. I am sure there are other techs out there doing the same right now too.

PSGMAN wrote:Since my first visit here my 2 labs now have loaner programs, free masks, easier protocols for split night studies, and better follow up. I am excited about our changes, especially our loaner program where a patient can try CPAP before commiting to a test, or where they can get a loaner until their test is complete. We even have a program where we accept donations of CPAP units and then give them to people who don't have insurance, or have crappy insurance that doesn't pay well on the CPAPs. Also giving our patient's 1-2 free masks per study is making people more compliant. So, thanks for voicing your concerns. I read many stories but comment on very few. I just wanted to let you all know that so you know atleast some labs are being changed for the better off of your bad experiences.

That's good to know. Now, if the changes you've been able to implement would spread like wildfire across the sleep medicine industry...

I am sure there are other techs out there doing the same right now too.

I'm not so sure, but I can hope.