CPAPtalk.com

I would like to see the company, on their homepage, provide a big "Thank You" to their customers, the end-users of the equipment, for choosing their equipment in preference to other brands.

A big "Thank You" could also be provided for the health care professionals who recommend the equipment, but I'd like to see the primary focus be on the end-users (i.e., the real customers, those of us who use the equipment on a daily basis).

When I visit a manufacturer's website, I am usually looking for new product information and/or OSA news.

I would like to see spec sheets and/or manuals. For interfaces, I appreciate actual sizes and the ability to download sizing template/gauges.

I would also like to see links to clinical studies, user ratings, and photos and/or videos that show products from all angles.

Respironcis' revamped site is much better than the old one.

I don't know why respironics put this link under "reimbursement" - it has many interesting studies in it:

http://reimbursement.respironics.com/References.asp

O.

[quote="ozij"]Respironcis' revamped site is much better than the old one.

I don't know why respironics put this link under "reimbursement" - it has many interesting studies in it:

http://reimbursement.respironics.com/References.asp

O.

Regarding manuals.....

http://global.respironics.com/manualsandliterature.asp

Research_Guy, that page lists only the "User's Manuals", not the "Provider's Manuals" which show how to adjust the equipment. It would be most helpful if both manuals were available on the website and readily accessible.

Regards,
Bill

ozij,

Thanks for the link to the studies...very interesting stuff there!

Resmed's is hands down better than Respironics but then again they don't tell you anything either...

Nevermind...

Research_Guy wrote:Just curious what you think...what type of info do patients need, want or expect from OSA device manufacturers? Thank you.

Research_Guy,

I tend not to study manufacturers websites other than if I really want info on one of their products. For that reason I couldn't really give a meaningful answer on which mfg has the best site. This question doesn't qualify the usefulness of their sites.

I am (like so many others here) drawn to real people talking about real issues and others offering feedback & advice.

I have learned a ton of info from people here & have done my part in passing on info & advice.

This place has its ups & downs bugt in balance is pretty damned good for the internet.

In thinking as to if I might visit a manufacturers website, I would, regularly if they had discussion forums like this one, that allow discussion of their products and how they work. I realise that difficulty in trying something like this if guest posters are allowed to post comments - guests are fine if they are asking questions clearly intended to be informative but can be a real problem if they are people with mal intent (competitors out to cause trouble, individuals with warped personalities, etc).

So if manufacturers allowed product discussion forums, I would visit a lot more.


Some additional comments:

It is fair to say that many people have commented here, in the past, that manufacturers have no real interest in the users of their xPAPs, just in what DMEs want.

One other area of enormous interest by xPAP users, is being able to use software to read their nights data in simple easy to read reports. We again keep seeing comments here that manufacturers are not really interested in users having access to the detailed data. Some might argue that it is people in the medical profession who don't want users having such access (but I haven't experienced that problem).

Good luck

DSM

just was wondering if there were any further comments here?

Research_Guy wrote:just was wondering if there were any further comments here?

How will we know IF or WHEN you make any changes to the manufacturer's website?

I hope you got some good ideas from your "survey"....and that some of them can be implemented.

Best wishes,

Den

Research Guy seems to have ridden off into the sunset. I'll bet he was working on the new Hybrid site. The fitting instructions are good.

Hey! I resent that big nose crack!

Oh, and I'm not Research Guy.

Doug

The reason that the provider will not give you the provider manual is the same reason that a physician will not give you his prescription pad. You then have the ability to modify the prescription setting of the device. I know that a cpap isnt quite the same as a prescription drug, but from the FDA's standpoint, it is. That is the same reason that the encore software is not available publicly. It's not a big conspiracy to make you pay money, it's a federal regulation on medical devices.

And to answer the usual "Well I can take double the amount of my prescription pills with nobody stopping me" reply, if it were as simple as not giving you a manual to keep you from doubling up on your blood pressure medicine, that would probably be required as well.

[quote="dllfo"]I think a lot of us want everything our insurance has paid for, especially the
instruction books. Right or wrong, we have the inalienable right to screw up.

I have been speaking with Apria. I wanted my provider's manual. They said
"No, the manufacturer does not want the consumer to use it. Too much liabilty."

I tell them "I will give Apria a release from liability if that is their reason. And the manufacturer allows them to be sold on the internet, with all the books included. De Facto, they don't care if I get the books."

They did not really answer that one.

"Is it because you can charge us for changing the settings, therefore make more money? Or sell us our smart card? Again?"

"No, we are concerned for the welfare of our patients."

A dead end for the consumer................

In summary...Please give me everything the manufacturer packaged in the
box. I can buy the same machine on the internet and get all the books.
Frustrating!!

REMmaster wrote:The reason that the provider will not give you the provider manual is the same reason that a physician will not give you his prescription pad. You then have the ability to modify the prescription setting of the device. I know that a cpap isnt quite the same as a prescription drug, but from the FDA's standpoint, it is. That is the same reason that the encore software is not available publicly. It's not a big conspiracy to make you pay money, it's a federal regulation on medical devices.

And to answer the usual "Well I can take double the amount of my prescription pills with nobody stopping me" reply, if it were as simple as not giving you a manual to keep you from doubling up on your blood pressure medicine, that would probably be required as well.

Sooooo.....what about when the doctor prescribes you almost TWICE as much (in this case AIR) as you REALLY need???

Den