"please keep me updated about oximeters "
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Raising Eyebrows at RT Meeting
The New Jersey Society for Respiratory Care has been kind enough to invite me to be their keynote speaker at their Annual Conference in October. Roomful of 300-400 respiratory therapists and other health professionals, many in the sleep field, will be in attendance. Hopefully, they won't regret their decision to have me speak even though the topic below is what I plan to talk about:
Topic
Should we let OSA patients diagnose and treat themselves?
Objectives
- educate about OSA patient perspective
- challenge assumptions about OSA patient behavior
- raise awareness of limitations and opportunities faced by health professionals with respect to the OSA patient
Should we let OSA patients diagnose and treat themselves?
Objectives
- educate about OSA patient perspective
- challenge assumptions about OSA patient behavior
- raise awareness of limitations and opportunities faced by health professionals with respect to the OSA patient
Views: 80
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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I understand. I'm addressing the patient experience only -- gotta keep them from falling asleep, so wanted to talk about something far from their current experiences.
j n k said:Only my opinions, these:
I have no problem with your objectives, but your topic may need some tweaking, I think, if those are DME RTs.
DME RTs are not part of the diagnostic process. DME RTs only see patients after diagnosis has already happened and an Rx is in hand.
No one wants RTs making changes to doctors' prescriptions. Not even activist patients. We as patients can't be prosecuted for making changes to our own machine, but RTs could be in big trouble if they deviate the least bit. It would be unethical for them to pretend to be the doctor or the patient.
It is the DME RTs job to protect his own status and the status of the DME by always doing exactly what the doctor says according to what the DME-owner and insurance allows.
Maybe I misunderstand the circumstances. But I thought I'd give you my 2 cents if that is helpful. Feel free to ignore my observations if they are not helpful to you.
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Permalink Reply by Banyon on
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Mike, How to start the talk:
"I just now realized that this is a meeting about respiratory care. Unfortunately, I read the invitation to speak here and thought it said "Diabetes Conference" and that is the only speech I prepared. I hope you will not be bored listening to my talk about diabetes. Diabetics are educated by medical professionals to use meters to take small blood samples and check blood-sugar levels. They know how to read and interpret the data. They have been trained to make adjustments to their therapy. They determine timing and dosage of insulin shots. They adjust oral medications. They also adjust their diet and exercise based on up-to-the-minute data from the blood samples."
You know the rest Mike. :)
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Permalink Reply by Linda Birnbaum on
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I promise I don't regret it. Like I said, I like to have a patients perspective on different issues. I promise not to give out any stones for th RTs to throw at you. :)
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Thanks, Banyon. I can use all the feedback I can get from you guys. This is a good opportunity to speak to a group that probably hasn't been on this forum or others like it, but which impacts the treatment Sleep Apneacs get day-in-day-out.
Banyon said:Mike, How to start the talk:
"I just now realized that this is a meeting about respiratory care. Unfortunately, I read the invitation to speak here and thought it said "Diabetes Conference" and that is the only speech I prepared. I hope you will not be bored listening to my talk about diabetes. Diabetics are educated by medical professionals to use meters to take small blood samples and check blood-sugar levels. They know how to read and interpret the data. They have been trained to make adjustments to their therapy. They determine timing and dosage of insulin shots. They adjust oral medications. They also adjust their diet and exercise based on up-to-the-minute data from the blood samples."
You know the rest Mike. :)
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Just to let you know. The person who invited Mike to speak is an RT and works in sleep medicine and aids in diagnosis as well as in therapy. No knocking me. I am proud of what I do and even prouder that Mike gets to speak at my conference. :)
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Linda, this is all part of your plan for an early retirement from your responsibilities at the NJSRC, isn't it ;-)
Linda Birnbaum said:I promise I don't regret it. Like I said, I like to have a patients perspective on different issues. I promise not to give out any stones for th RTs to throw at you. :)
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How did you guess?
Mike said:Linda, this is all part of your plan for an early retirement from your responsibilities at the NJSRC, isn't it ;-)
Linda Birnbaum said:I promise I don't regret it. Like I said, I like to have a patients perspective on different issues. I promise not to give out any stones for th RTs to throw at you. :)
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true. it could come down to this
j n k said:OK. But don't be surprised if they hear your topic as: "Should All of You Be out of a Job Because You Aren't Really Needed?"
Maybe the stage will have chicken wire in front of it like in The Blues Brothers:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3026666663113592701#
:-)
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I promise I wont provide anything that anyone can throw at you. I promise. Besides the attendees will just yell at me like they do every year.
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Not a set up. I promise. Mike is in good hands with me. Like I said....I will get yelled at when RTs are unhappy. Comes with the volunteer job. :)
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That is hard to determine because RTs have multiple jobs. I would say mostly hospital RTs where protocols are being put in to place to identify patients with possible OSA. Then a mix of DME and Sleep RTs. We also have a lot of students and educators. Attendees include RTs from NY, NJ, PA, DE, and MD. Like I said when RTs arent happy they will yell at me.
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I will I promise. I might not make it back. But Mike will.
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