CPAP Designer asks: What changes would you like to see made?

Thank you so much for all these thoughts. Little nuggets of knowledge that can only be discovered from years of use.
Thank you Birdshell for that list of threads. I'll make my way through them.
Thank you so much!
And keep on posting!

How about if the mask exhalation hole did not blow directly on my partner? That is a major gripe.
Change how you fill the humidifier. I shouldnt have to pull the whole piece out and worry about getting it wet and shorting out the machine.
also I can't tell the water level unless I'm directly in front, my machine is on the night stand which is lower to the ground. A backlite here would be awesome as a water level is hard to see. Clear water incased in plastic is incredibly hard to see.
The mask does not work. You can read the miles of talk with the frustration about the mask alone. I have the nasal pillows and quite frankly they leak. I hear it. I thought about switching to a mask, and read the blogs and they leak.
maybe if the hose was changed it wouldnt bang me in the head when I roll over. I have not ever in my life slept on my back.
Work out a deal w/ pur-sleep to have scented dreams. I would like a chamber for the essential oils. Then I could pour and mix flavors as I desired and have the perfect mix last a few days instead of 1nite.
Please keep metal parts off of equipment that touches my head. I do not understand why the breeze has a big plastic part attached to metal that goes to the back of my head!!! Serious that makes no sense whatever!!!

If you are truly a designer, good for you for discovering the free treasure trove of consumer research that this forum represents. Please use the good ideas you get here!

Ditto to what others have said, especially Slinky, Rosemary, dsm. My top suggestions:

MACHINE. 1. Fully data capable with AHI etc data on display AND software bundled with the machine.

2. Enable the patient to do changes in pressure settings. (See diabetic comments.)

3. Exhalation relief.

4. More machines with built in battery packs for power outages and camping.

5. More testing before going to market, to avoid problems like the Respironics M series.

MASK
1. Vent upwards like a chimney, not out from face.
2. Comfortable headgear with soft, stretchy fabric.

HOSE
Six and 10 foot heated hose.

It might sound crazy, but sometimes I think the ideal mask for me would something which looks like a

military gas mask of the WW| period.

It would be no nose bridge neither face discomfort. And no leaks what so ever. Addition of cable TV projected directly to the glasses (goggles) of this mask – and what else you can dream about?

Thats right I completely forgot. I need it to be able to work off the power adapter in my car or some other way to take it out camping in the wilderness.
and please make it a quiet machine.

I think they should all be auto capable with A flex, software with each machine and I would love it if the masks came in colors! I love purple and if your gonna look silly you might as well love the color!

I am the first person (that I know of) in the Sacramento, CA area to have the brand new Respironics BiPap Auto SV unit.

I have been "holding hands" with Respironics. I discussed titration with my doctor, and after blending in the sleep study info from the National Jewish Hospital, he gave me a "starting place" titration, understanding I will modify it as necessary so I can not get blown out of the bed.

My complaints are alarms. The watchdog alarms cannot be shut off. This is fine for a hospital or nursing home, but you need to design in a secret handshake or something to allow ALL Alarms to be shut off. I told Respironics this unit may not be suitable for home use the way it is.

If you live alone, that is fine, but waking your wife up a couple times during the night while you answer natures call is not good.

The LCD display lights did not go off while using the unit the first night. I just pile two handkerchiefs on top of it now.

Four buttons on top ....and one on the side. The one on the side REALLY sucks. Of course it is the one that turns the machine on. Put IT on top, right where the button was on the hugely popular Respironics BiPap Auto unit, of which I have two.

Respironics builds good equipment, but they did not hire an ergonomics engineer. Keep the %$&*#^%$&# on-off button where it was. NOT on the side. Put the Ramp button there, something not all that important. They put the silence and reset buttons next to each other...silence is ok for about one minute, then the alarm goes off. At 2am, in the dark, waking up, is NOT the time for OJT with a button.

Oxygen valves. Respironics oxygen valves sound like two trash can lids being thrown at each other. AND the make this loud noise up to 4 times when you bring oxygen on line. And everytime you go use the bathroom...
you bring it back up on line.

YOU are the first person to be smart enough to ask the people who use the product. I told Respironics to beta test their next machine with me. I am a professional "whiner/sniveler".

Best wishes with your efforts.......

I wondered as I first read your post WHY as a xPAP designer you asked for comments about the sleep studies, insurance, etc. instead of just the xPAPs or xPAPs and masks.

But since you asked, I'm gonna go back to the beginning of any apnea patient's journey to xPAP therapy: TELL THE MEDICAL PROFESSION TO MOVE OUTTA THE DARK AGES!!! Most patients really and truthfully DO have some modicum of intelligence and common sense. Many are even curious!

I'm old enough to remember when God forbid the patient should peek over the nurse's shoulder and see what their blood pressure, heart rate and temp was. More than one nurse has had a near heart attack when walking into my hospital room and finding me actually reading thru my chart!! My chart always seems to end up being kept at the nurse's desk instead of outside my room next to the door.

And then they should wonder why so many of us DON'T TRUST the medical profession???? Duh!

With the advent of HIPAA patients in EVERY STATE now have a legal right to copies of their medical records so why do we still run into so many doctors, medical office staff, etc. who still drag their feet and hem and haw and delay getting them UNTIL the patient sees the doctor or the staff gets doctor's permission, etc., etc.? Or refuse to let you see them until the doctor sees them first and okays giving them to the patient?

And why in the world can't today's medical profession LEARN from Mayo Clinic about EFFICIENCY???

The medical profession needs to grow up and join the INFORMATION AGE! They want respect? They can start earning it by showing the patient some respect and consideration. QUIT TREATING US LIKE MINDLESS BOOBS!

Masks!!!!!!!!!

What's with all those rigid caplike and elbow things that stick out at odd angles? The main purpose of these seems to be to knock the mask off till it leaks, torture you while you try to sleep, or make you go bald, or all three . If you've read many of the posts where people "labrat" the masks, you know that people often end up "decapitating" or sawing parts off the masks like the Breeze, ComfortLite 2, and Headrest/Aura mask to get rid of those odd angled things that just get in the way.

What I love about the nasal aire II is the lack of those hard plastic things things that make the mask very awkward. It's all flexible parts. Make more masks based on this concept and you will make a lot of money.

Make them flexible, please .

Most of my own ideas have already been expressed by others, but here are my top three:
1. Patient education
2. Patient-provided tools for continuous improvement (monitoring software, ability to control settings, etc.)
3. Soft, machine-washable cloth masks in a variety of sizes with a variety of options (nasal pillows, mouthpiece, chin strap, eye covers, insert for aromatherapy, etc.). They should be as affordable as good bras, so that people could have many.

Incredible.
I have begun to compile your thoughts.
I have broken the process down into 12 or so steps.
And I have begun to place your comments in the appropriate step.

But i have notices most of your comments have been related to the sleep evaluation, machine, mask and DME and Insurance companies.
Could you all comment on your initial experiences. Perhaps how you became aware, or the visit to the Doctor who might have sent you to the sleep study. How well educated was he/she on the topic. Did they educate you at all.
How were you educated on the topic? Sites such as this? Through Sleep technicians? Other?

Tell me more about how you enrolled your Significant Other into the process. How have they reacted. Supportive?

Humor seems to surround this topic, despite the fact it is a medical condition. Is this just the easiest way of dealing with the situation.
Everyone on cpaptalk.com seems to have such a great sense of humor about the situation. Explain this phenomenon a bit to me.

thanks again....KEEP POSTING. I AM READING and COMPILING!

I had all kind of tests done for years and the MD couldn't find anything wrong. My husband finally spoke to the doctor and told him I was choking, snoring, kicking, etc. That's when I was sent for a sleep study. Once I got my machine the MD told me to lookup anything I needed to know on the internet because he knew very little about it. I came here and have learned sooo much! My husband was supportive since the first night when I slept through the night and was up and awake before him in the morning. He swears the cpap buts me into a restorative coma!
I have had 2 masks fitted by Apria, both incorrectly. Found out how to fit them here.
If you have to hook up to a hose-mask-machine everynight, you better have a sense of humor! It helps to laugh about it. Makes it much less stressful. You can stress yourself so much that you have trouble with your therapy. But a good laugh seems to put it all back into perspective.

Brenda

catbirdgirl touched on it: wireless sensors. I can't understand how good results can be obtained during a PSG while you're all trussed up like a turkey, and forced to sleep on your back. For most, that's probably the worst night's sleep you'll ever get. With wi-fi, bluetooth, wireless peripherals, etc. why not wireless sensors? And I agree, set it up so you can sleep at home... that way maybe the results will more closely replicate your actual sleep patterns.

And oh yeah, I second the backlight for the LCD screen, even if it's only on with a momentary push button.

All the other thoughts are great... I can't add any more to that.

My primary does not know anything about sleep apnea. She referred me to the sleep study lab. I had very nice techs that did not tell me much of anything, hook me up with all kinds of goop that really itched my skin.
during the titration study, my daughter called the lab and had them wake me up, she was going to have emergency surgery. appendix. She made it through wonderfully, but I had to take the titration again. So I did. 2 weeks later, I'm hooked up with the itchy goop and I toss and turn all nite. We tried different masks. I finally got to sleep and they woke me up at 6 am on Sat. about 2-3 weeks later I got called into the dme for a machine. I never did see or talk to the sleep Dr. Here is a change for me. Why does it have to take so long to get treatment? 1 -2 weeks for the 1st study, 2-3 weeks for the titration, 2-3 weeks for the titration re-do, 2-3 weeks for the machine. It seems like the process should not have to take so long. Seriously, I felt like crap!!! I was basically a zombie. Awake all of the time, with headaches, and drinking teas I did not have the best disposition, I was down right MEAN. All I could do was apologize and explain that the Drs were taking their sweet time. This BTW, was at U of M. I'm an Ann Arbor gal. That would be a huge improvement, if the time it took for treatment were shorten.

My comments would echo most of the others. You are getting great input, and I hope it will be utilized to do a better job. Why am I skeptical???
I don't believe that software should be needed!!! Why should I have to load software on a computer to read my data??
In todays world the machine should keep it's data on say, a memory stick, SD card etc., or even on board with a USB output on the xPAP machine to just plug into a computer (and not like those proprietary camera cables either -- standard off the shelf USB cabling).
Output the data in .xls or .csv (better - more versitile), or http format.
Memory is cheap. Use it!!!!
If you insist on a software interface, make it available at a reasonable cost to your users/customers. It's not rocket science, though "you" seem to think it is and treat it as such.....Let some of us in the user community help you make your product better (like in other industries - again it's not rocket science!!!!)

Get rid of those gawd awful blue lights. They don't need to be blue....there's another thread about that issue. But there is some science that says blue lights in a sleep environment is not a good thing. What's wrong with red (like most other "dark" applications)

Masks suck in general (yeah, yeah, yeah -- I know. They really blow). I'll be doing another thread about that today.....
We all have different faces -- somehow, someway it would be nice if masks weren't such a hassle!!

DME's, Insurance Companies, and some Doctors -- Stop treating your patients/clients/customers like they're morons. (Personally, I don't really have that problem, but I know there is an unacceptable number of folks out here that deal with less than acceptable performance from their DME/Insurance Company/Doctors).....

Ok -- that's my "dos centavos".......

cheers
goose