Retention of detailed S9/ResScan Data

I want to preserve all of the data from my S9/ResScan 4.3 downloads. As time marches on I don’t want be losing the old traces and other detailed stuff. Is this just a matter of clicking the right buttons while downloading? Or do I need to take other steps?

I’d also be interested in ideas to keep it all backed-up with minimal fuss.

Thanks

Kennerly wrote:I want to preserve all of the data from my S9/ResScan 4.3 downloads. As time marches on I don’t want be losing the old traces and other detailed stuff. Is this just a matter of clicking the right buttons while downloading? Or do I need to take other steps?

I’d also be interested in ideas to keep it all backed-up with minimal fuss.

Thanks

Just curious.....why do you care what happened months or years ago? As long as you are doing well now.

I suspect that he, like I, want to keep all medical data in case something comes up in the future that would be helped by a review of past records.

Respironics equipment keeps all the data as long as you upload daily. The daily detail information is stored and retained in the machine. The Wave data is only recorded on the SD card and if you don't upload daily, older Wave data won't be uploaded.

This is true for the pro versions of Encore. I believe that I have seen posted that Encore Basic doesn't save all the data so you have to save the daily information yourself.

ResMed doesn't so you have to take steps to preserve the data.
I don't know the details of what needs to be done.

I jot down summary data in a notebook (hours, 95% pressure, leak, AHI, OA, plus my morning blood glucose)
It is quick and easy, and I have notebooks all the way back to June 2010; which my doctor really likes.
Since my apnea is simple and moderate, this data is sufficient for now, and establishes my expectation
of always having a full data machine, should I need to lobby Medicare for an "upgrade".

Ford Guy wrote:

"Just curious.....why do you care what happened months or years ago? As long as you are doing well now."

For me having the old data is helpful for comparison. Just today I wanted to compare some recent central cluster patterns to a stretch in time 6-8 months back, prior to when I made a few changes. Sometimes it takes me awhile to nod-off after masking up, and the S9 tends to score a bunch of centrals while I'm still awake. Or not. So just comparing the calculated indexes can be pretty iffy. Especially when comparing nights with a high awake time/sleep time ratio to other nights with better sleep efficiency.

Digging into the old traces can provide a little more confidence that you are not comparing apples to oranges.

I believe that when you load the data into your computer, you need to rename the file.
Then subsequent loads will not over-write the older data.
Someone who uses the software more than I can tell you what to look for. (the name of the file to change)
I was working full time my first 3 years of therapy, and never got into the software/detailed data stuff;
but I can readily see where it can be important to you.

Respironics equipment keeps all the data as long as you upload daily. The daily detail information is stored and retained in the machine. The Wave data is only recorded on the SD card and if you don't upload daily, older Wave data won't be uploaded.

This is true for the pro versions of Encore. I believe that I have seen posted that Encore Basic doesn't save all the data so you have to save the daily information yourself.

Encore Pro and Encore Basic save the identical data/reports to have them available for review with the exception of the wave form graphs.

Even with Encore Pro if someone wants to go back to look at old wave form graphs they need to download daily and there is a way to select an old date for review. Wait a week between downloads and you might get lucky and get 2 wave from graphs.

With Encore Basic we can't seem to select an old date for review of wave form graphs...so those graphs need to be saved to a pdf file/folder if someone ever wants to see them again.

All Encore versions allow for going back and reviewing old detailed data reports though. Just a matter of selecting a date range...by default Encore only shows 7 nights of detailed data at a time and normally that is the most recent 7 nights.

Pugs, Kennerly lists an S9 Vpap machine and Rescan.
---Encore? Does this work the same?

chunkyfrog wrote:Pugs, Kennerly lists an S9 Vpap machine and Rescan.
---Encore? Does this work the same?

No, I just clarified how Respironics does things because it was brought up and I imagine Respironics users will read and wonder...so I was attempting to clarify and answer questions that always seem to come up when this topic arises...by both brand users.

The S9 itself...I thought were sufficiently answered so I didn't comment further on it. In hind sight now I don't know if the question was really addressed as mostly it seems that the response what "why do you want it".
To me it doesn't really matter "why" someone wants to do anything..be it wear a different mask or whatever. It's enough to me that they want to do whatever and I try to explain how to do what they want to do.

For S9 users who want to always have their old data available..it's in the software and for me that is sufficient.
S9 users must have the SD card in the machine at all times while it is in use or the detailed data goes AWOL.
Some detailed data gets over written at 7 days and the rest of the detailed data gets over written at 30 days...
Summary usage data gets overwritten at 1 year.
So if someone wants everything in the software they must download at least once a week.
If the software itself isn't sufficient for their needs (like if software or computer breaks) then a once a week copy of the contents of the SD card to some external medium needs to be done and it becomes a nightmare to keep all the copies separate because of the overwriting of the detailed data.
ResMed SD data files aren't as easy to isolate and keep a copy of as the Respironics data files are...at least for me and it only takes one little boo boo putting together a copy for the S9 to spit it out because it doesn't like the SD card anymore.

I believe there is a way to just back up the patient data files in ResScan and that would probably be the simplest thing to save to some other medium like disc or SD card if big enough.
I don't know the file path for that bulk data though...I have seen it mentioned here on the forum where people back the files up from one computer and transfer the files to ResScan in a new computer.
So it can be done...I just don't know which folder it is in.

So for me I never bothered with beyond "it's in the software" and I left it at that. If computer dies or software breaks it isn't the end of the world what I have lost in terms of old data.
Now if it would distress someone to have that happen...then yes, figure out a way to have a working copy of whatever is needed to get it back. It can be done...I just don't know which Patient files do what in ResScan.

My suggestion is to download a program like "CutePDF" and use it to print your reports to .pdf files which can be saved to thumb drives or wherever. That will preserve your nightly data in the report form, which is the most useful. Database files (typically) will only hold a certain amount of data (the Respironics databases will only hold about 2 GB of data which is about 2 1/2 yrs. of daily downloads).

Even though I have saved the databases of my Respironics downloads on separate drives, I regard the reports of more value.

For those who "poo poo" the value of saving this stuff, I ask them if they can PROVE their compliance AND effectiveness of their therapy. If you're ever in a traffic accident and they find out that you've been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, your therapy compliance and effectiveness WILL (most likely) come into question.


Den

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