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Permalink Reply by Charles McDermott on April 5, 2011 at 8:54am

jnk, you said "There is no motivation for a DME to be helpful to patients, since once the DME has the chunk of money for the machine, they don't get paid by anyone for being helpful to the patient."

 

I am not sure what you mean by a DME being "helpful".  If a DME needs a prescription to sell you a CPAP machine and he programs it as the sleep doctor has prescribed then he has fulfilled his obligation (like a pharmacist).  A DME has a license and he must work within that license; at least in my state. 

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Permalink Reply by Donna Medin on April 5, 2011 at 10:07am

I think the medical people need to be more educated about Sleep Apnea.  There are too many doctors that are not aware of the symptoms of Sleep Apnea.  I was having an issue with my uvula being sore.  It dangled on my tongue.  It was very swollen.  Even when I told the doctor, she said if the problem didn't continue, it wasn't a problem.  She was ignorant of Sleep Apnea.  My boyfriend ended up diagnosing me.  He also has Sleep Apnea.   I ended up with "Severe Sleep Apnea". 

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Permalink Reply by Ernestine Webster on April 5, 2011 at 10:36am

AMEN TO THAT SISTER ! 

  

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Permalink Reply by Ernestine Webster on April 5, 2011 at 11:28am

i really do think the primary care physicians do not want to admit they do not know much about sleep disorders and i did not realize until i got serious about finding out my problem how misunderstood sleep disorders were by medical doctors as well as the general public. have had family members say to me when you get sleepy enough you will be able to go to sleep , , not in my case and now i know i am not crazy , even though i have mixed feelings about being diagnosed  with sugnificinet obsructive sleep apnea, 56 % poor sleep quality, and restless leg syndrone i know i actually have a problem. it is not just me !        

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Permalink Reply by Donna Medin on April 5, 2011 at 11:34am

I agree totally!!!

Ernestine Webster said:

i really do think the primary care physicians do not want to admit they do not know much about sleep disorders and i did not realize until i got serious about finding out my problem how misunderstood sleep disorders were by medical doctors as well as the general public. have had family members say to me when you get sleepy enough you will be able to go to sleep , , not in my case and now i know i am not crazy , even though i have mixed feelings about being diagnosed  with sugnificinet obsructive sleep apnea, 56 % poor sleep quality, and restless leg syndrone i know i actually have a problem. it is not just me !        

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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on April 5, 2011 at 12:33pm

I was lucky enough when I went to my Internal Medicine guy and complained about falling asleep right after I got up in the morning.  I just thought he would prescribe some medicine.  He immediately said let's get you set up with a sleep study.  I hadn't thought about my long term pattern of dying (did not hear phone, doorbell, people) for four or five hours every afternoon.  That was't really a problem for me, but when I started falling asleep on my feet and eating breakfast and driving became a problem  (I would have to take five hour energy and a red bull and probably still wasn't safe to drive).  Starting falling sleep during my therapy sessions.

I was really lucky with that Doc. I only (at that time- it has since worsened) had mild sleep apnea, but I sure was symptomatic.

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Permalink Reply by Ernestine Webster on April 5, 2011 at 2:57pm

you should consider yourself very lucky to have a doctor that did listen to you, i am going to set up an appointment with my doctor that i had so much trouble with her listening to me and i am going to have my say with her and then have my records transfered to another doctor 

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Permalink Reply by Donna Medin on April 5, 2011 at 3:31pm

I told the entire "Fairview Health System" in Minnesota that their doctors need more education on Sleep Apnea.  They need to start diagnosing it more.  I went to the ENT doctor and requested a Sleep Study after my significant other said I needed one.  He has sleep apnea and could recognize the signs.  The general public needs more education on Sleep Apnea, too.  They should teach it in high school.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Cannon on April 5, 2011 at 6:11pm

I would have a Lobbying Group target the medical insurance companies as they are paying bills that are unnecessary.

 

1. Why pay doctors $1,500 for sleep studies that patients can do on their own.

 

2. Why pay DMEs $3,000 for equipment that can be purchased from the internet for $1,500.

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Permalink Reply by Ernestine Webster on April 6, 2011 at 8:45am

i agree completely on this , they do need more education and training on sleep disorders, would save alot of frustration   

 

Donna Medin said:

I told the entire "Fairview Health System" in Minnesota that their doctors need more education on Sleep Apnea.  They need to start diagnosing it more.  I went to the ENT doctor and requested a Sleep Study after my significant other said I needed one.  He has sleep apnea and could recognize the signs.  The general public needs more education on Sleep Apnea, too.  They should teach it in high school.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 6, 2011 at 8:01pm

Sleep education needs to start with our children. I would start the subject as early as 5th grade before the bad habits begin. Sleep should be an ongoing discussion through high school and even college.

Donna Medin said:

I told the entire "Fairview Health System" in Minnesota that their doctors need more education on Sleep Apnea.  They need to start diagnosing it more.  I went to the ENT doctor and requested a Sleep Study after my significant other said I needed one.  He has sleep apnea and could recognize the signs.  The general public needs more education on Sleep Apnea, too.  They should teach it in high school.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 6, 2011 at 8:04pm

There are many reasons for the sleep study. It is a true evaluation of your sleep when done right. I do agree that the DME system could be done different. I just don't think that Walmart is the answer.
Tom Cannon said:

I would have a Lobbying Group target the medical insurance companies as they are paying bills that are unnecessary.

 

Tom if you come up with the cash I will march on Washington for all of us.

 

1. Why pay doctors $1,500 for sleep studies that patients can do on their own.

 

2. Why pay DMEs $3,000 for equipment that can be purchased from the internet for $1,500.

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