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DMEs are like the Pharmacists in this analogy.

A Pharmacist must dispense the medication exactly as the doctor prescribed. That is the law. If the Pharmacist sees an interaction between a med and another one, he/she calls the doctor to consult.

As far as the patient is concerned, they can take the drug as prescribed, not take it at all or take more or less as they choose. For example, I take pain medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis and the prescription bottle gives the highest dose I should take. I often take less because I don't need as much many days. I adjust the dosage according to my needs and I don't need permission to do that. Often, people here use the analogy of a diabetic and their insulin. Of course, the same thing applies with diabetics.

You, as a DME, are bound by law, to not make changes without the doctor's okay, as is the Pharmacist.

The patient is not bound by this law. It is a law relating to dispensing in my opinion.

[quote="Minerva, RPSGT"]

It is illegal to change the setting of your CPAP units.

Minerva
Show me where it is written, and I MAY believe you.
Nan

I had my sleep study on 12/22/2010; received the results from the sleep center the following week. "I" had to contact my family physician to get my script (they'd faxed it to crapria); "I" then found a DME that I wanted to work with. While the therapist there was nice and easy to talk to, "I" knew more about it from researching and reading this forum. My doctors didn't even schedule a follow up! It was my GP doctor that requested the sleep study. If the sleep center doctor hadn't called me, all I would have in hand is my script.

I happened to have my annual physical scheduled, and during that visit my GP asked how I was feeling, I said much better, and that was the extent of discussion regarding my CPAP therapy. So yes, I will be the one monitoring my progress, since I don't seem to have any medical professionals who are interested in my therapy. I am disappointed, thought, that the RRT at my DME told me that he'd contact me after a couple of weeks. He's never called me.

So yes, I will take a very active role in my CPAP therapy, just as I do with any therapy I'm prescribed. One cannot and should not blindly accept what's been handed them. The patient needs to understand the consequences of that therapy and be proactive if it isn't working to their benefit.