Hello All,
After reading posts on this site I decided to check the Clinical menue of my Resmed Spirit. It shows a AHI & HI of over 12 . I thought it might be a good idea to see a Dr.
I phoned the Pulmonary Dr that evaluated my sleep study nearly 3 years ago. I asked a few questions of the office staff while making the appointment after telling her that I had a study and Dr X made the report. I haven't been feeling good for some time and MY #s weren't showing I was getting treatment. I also asked if the Dr. had the software to download my cpap.. No we dont do that. Well you would have thought I was a criminal. "How did you get a cpap ?" Any way , she asked. The sleep dr sent the report to my family MD and he wrote the Rx for the cpap I said. Well I guess thats not acording to protocol . I said i just wanted to see the Doc cause I was feeling bad and had questions about my treatment . Hell , I dont want to fight with the office staff I ll argue with the doc buy hell.
I got the phone book out of the drawer and FOUND ANOTHER DR!
Hopefully he and his staff will be more receptive and open minded. How dare a mere patient ask a question of the staff .. They're mere gateguards in my opinion. Well Doc #1 lost my business. I've met him and he is a nice guy but i'll be darn if I'll take this crap from his staff.
Wouldnt you think the Dr would have a way to download Data from a cpap.
Just goes to prove the Dr.- Sleep lab- DME conspiracy as far as I am concerned
Waverly
Phone call to Sleep Dr.
11 posts
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Waverly,
The "protocol" you followed is exactly how my experience went. Sleep lab sent the results to my GP who then wrote the script. Although I will add that my sleep lab staff would not discuss one word with me about my results..."you'll have to discuss that with your GP... because we are too important to talk directly to you." (I added that last part) I'm convinced there is something broken in the chain of treatment for sleep apnea patients. I and many others are left in limbo by the fact that nobody in the chain feels accountable to the patient. My Doc whom I like very much said "what did they tell you at the sleep lab?" He obviously felt they were the ones qualified to "inform" me on my condition. The sleep lab felt it was not their responsability to communicate with the patient beyond the idle chit chat while slathering goop all over my head.
Good for you finding another sleep Doc. I would still (since you say you liked the old Doc) send him a personal letter telling him how his staff lost him another patient. Maybe they won't treat the next person so badly (that is if they still have a job)
The "protocol" you followed is exactly how my experience went. Sleep lab sent the results to my GP who then wrote the script. Although I will add that my sleep lab staff would not discuss one word with me about my results..."you'll have to discuss that with your GP... because we are too important to talk directly to you." (I added that last part) I'm convinced there is something broken in the chain of treatment for sleep apnea patients. I and many others are left in limbo by the fact that nobody in the chain feels accountable to the patient. My Doc whom I like very much said "what did they tell you at the sleep lab?" He obviously felt they were the ones qualified to "inform" me on my condition. The sleep lab felt it was not their responsability to communicate with the patient beyond the idle chit chat while slathering goop all over my head.
Good for you finding another sleep Doc. I would still (since you say you liked the old Doc) send him a personal letter telling him how his staff lost him another patient. Maybe they won't treat the next person so badly (that is if they still have a job)
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
My experience
I must brag!! my experience with garden city hospital sleep disorder center (michigan)has been wonderful!! Dr. Morris explained everything to me and still to this day (18 months after diagnosis) will take the time to answer my questions over the phone. The staff there is truly great and very welcoming, and they work well with the dme's. I honestly believe that my experience with this doc and his fabolous staff are a main reason that I have stuck with treatment and always strive to improve my own condition.
As always bless you all
Corey
As always bless you all
Corey
Its always breezy in here....
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Guest
Warning, rant coming...
The reason many are treated poorly is that when the rubber hits the payment, it's the insurance companies picking up the majority of the doctors fees - not the patient.
Patients are awestruck that they are treated so poorly, but when you really break it down, you aren't a doctors #1 customer. It's capitalism in reverse.
Us Americans are used to being treated well, because we have the money and won't turn it over until we're happy. However, since the New Deal, to "protect ourselves" we have slowly but surely frittered away our financial power in return for supposed security. Our current system is the result of these prevailing winds.
If the free market dictated the cost of health care, I believe it would be affordable and the doctors accountable. However, the sad cases of some that do not or can not save enough money to afford treatment seem to outweigh the overwhelming majority of those who do. Because of this, the need to "do something" we have fed American capitalism into the fire.
Our system is a symptom of a broken national philosophy.
Lastly, the doctors get it from both sides - either they are bullied into compliance by an insurance company that can take away their business or they are sued out of existance by a trail lawyer. All that after they pushed through 8 years of medical school and incurred 6 figure debt to do it. I think it's one hell of a feat for them to walk through the door every morning facing a situation that is a losing game in the end.
Due to all these factors, a little internet start up like cpap.com can provide a better level of care than organizations with the weight of nations behind them. Why? Pure capitalism - if I don't like their service, their products or their prices I'll go elsewhere. This is good for everyone! They bend over backwards to please me, they do please me, and we both profit! This is what our nation was founded on, remember?
Here's to you cpap.com, keep fighting the good fight - and thanks for the board.
The reason many are treated poorly is that when the rubber hits the payment, it's the insurance companies picking up the majority of the doctors fees - not the patient.
Patients are awestruck that they are treated so poorly, but when you really break it down, you aren't a doctors #1 customer. It's capitalism in reverse.
Us Americans are used to being treated well, because we have the money and won't turn it over until we're happy. However, since the New Deal, to "protect ourselves" we have slowly but surely frittered away our financial power in return for supposed security. Our current system is the result of these prevailing winds.
If the free market dictated the cost of health care, I believe it would be affordable and the doctors accountable. However, the sad cases of some that do not or can not save enough money to afford treatment seem to outweigh the overwhelming majority of those who do. Because of this, the need to "do something" we have fed American capitalism into the fire.
Our system is a symptom of a broken national philosophy.
Lastly, the doctors get it from both sides - either they are bullied into compliance by an insurance company that can take away their business or they are sued out of existance by a trail lawyer. All that after they pushed through 8 years of medical school and incurred 6 figure debt to do it. I think it's one hell of a feat for them to walk through the door every morning facing a situation that is a losing game in the end.
Due to all these factors, a little internet start up like cpap.com can provide a better level of care than organizations with the weight of nations behind them. Why? Pure capitalism - if I don't like their service, their products or their prices I'll go elsewhere. This is good for everyone! They bend over backwards to please me, they do please me, and we both profit! This is what our nation was founded on, remember?
Here's to you cpap.com, keep fighting the good fight - and thanks for the board.
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
Wow do I feel lucky. I live in a small town and had to do the sleep study 60 miles away, but from the first time I called I got lots of info, the tech talked to me, the sleep lab provided breakfast and a paper, and I met with the dr. an two hours after the study and she explained it all. Been through two studies with the same protocol, also the dr. gave me a list of 2 DME's and also mentioned I could buy the equip. off the internet much cheaper, but advised me (emphasized it actually) to rent not buy until later. In dealing with other medical problems with other drs. I've gotten the runaround from the office staff and had other tests done that nobody apparently reads, etc. So I consider myself blessed.
Take control of your health...don't let the dragon win!
tk
Take control of your health...don't let the dragon win!
tk
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busyman
Make an appointment to see a doctor to discuss about your problem and pay for the consultation fees.
Doctors are generally good people needing to make a living and he cannt answer numerous phonecalls that he recieved daily.
Asking the receptionist questions is like asking the plumber your health. She is not trained medically at all. Her job is only to take appointment.
Family physician has no access to cpap software. He cannot give it to you. You have it to buy it from the cpap shop. Anyway the software is overly priced.
?Ask a fellow CPAP user for a free copy.
Doctors are generally good people needing to make a living and he cannt answer numerous phonecalls that he recieved daily.
Asking the receptionist questions is like asking the plumber your health. She is not trained medically at all. Her job is only to take appointment.
Family physician has no access to cpap software. He cannot give it to you. You have it to buy it from the cpap shop. Anyway the software is overly priced.
?Ask a fellow CPAP user for a free copy.
11 posts
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