Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike on April 29, 2009 at 4:55pm

i've tested a bunch of generic smart card readers, and none of them worked. i think respironics put a block on anything except this particular brand of smart card reader. i know. serious bummer. but they have us by the short hairs, don't they?

DDNight said:

$199 for a smart card reader??? Are you kidding me? I am in the Army and use smart card readers every day and have purchased one for home use (Model SCM SCR301) for $20. Is this (or any after-market card reader) capable of reading the Respironics card data? Or is it only able to be read using a "propriatary" reader?

I think $199 is astronomically ridiculous for a smart card reader and if my current reader works, I will definitely buy the software to be more proactive in my treatment.

Thanks in advance.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hargett on April 30, 2009 at 12:31am

I took my relatively new RemStar Pro into Apria today to have them put a manometer on the machine. I thought the pressure was a bit light, but it's delivering the 12 cm I'm prescribed for. Just feels different from my last machine.

While I was there I had them read the data card and print out my report for the first 89 days I've been using this machine.This is about my 4th machine, but I've never had a card in one until this one. So I was curious.

First page (of 12) showed some hours of usage graphically across the period, and indicated my average humidifier setting was 2.9, although the last night was 2 (humid outside and had opened window, so I turned down the heat)

Page 2 started with a list of dates and the number of hours I used my machine (both graphics and numbers). My first two nights came after 10 days away from home travelling and I slept 10:42 the first night and 9:58 the second night! I'm obviously not one with regular sleep habits (which I know) because I have nights at under 4 hours, and some at 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, even one night at 11 hours 9 minutes (after a 4 day trip where I averaged only 5 hours per night). The list was continued on page 3.

Page 4 summarized across the 89 days and showed the pressure setting of 12 as consistent every day The chart of obstructive apnea events showed numerous events scattered through the period, but none was higher than 1 and there was an average of .3 obstructive apneas over the period. Similarly the hypopnea chart showed several instances, but none exceeding 1, with an average of .8 hypopneas over the period. Added together the .3 and .8 come to 1.2 so there is some rounding going on there.

They also show something called an average vibratory snore index (not a term I'm familiar with) My average was 4.9, but there are two spikes of 45 and 35 and 5 in the 20's. Others are relatively flat.

Also shows some numbers on average Leak, but I don't know how to interpret that.

The next 7 pages are one page for each of the most current 7 nights of sleep.

Date AHI Snore Avg Leak

4/23 0.0 2.4 40.89
4/24 0.3 9.4 38.53
4/25 0.4 0.1 41.00
4/26 0.4 0.3 40.68
4/27 0.3 0.4 44.53
4/28 0.2 0.6 40.17
4/29 0.4 0.9 40.26

Page 12 is the summary page:

89 days of usage, 100% of days used
Total usage 639 hrs 15 minutes
Max usage 11 hrs 9 minutes
Average usage 7 hrs 11 minutes
Minimum usage 3 hrs 41 minutes (early morning flight departure after late night packing!)

Average time in apnea per day 5.6 seconds
Average AHI 1.2

I guess I'm reasonably compliant with therapy!

But ultimately, I guess my point is that it seems just as easy to have the home care company read the card and print it off than trying to do it yourself.

Dave

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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on April 30, 2009 at 7:57am

The card reader is actually $139 or if you buy BOTH the card reader and the software the bundled price is $199.

Once upon a time you could get the card readers for approximately $25 plus shipping from Hong Kong. The only thing missing on the card reader was the name Respironics. It is the Infineer Mako DT3500. I was lucky and was able to order two of the card readers so I would have a spare. Unfortunately, you can no longer have them imported from Hong Kong or China, to my knowledge.

Shop around on line or at your local DME.

Although, I am going to put a plug in for Mike. He has been generous and given us this forum for users and professionals. It would be nice if some of us, when needing supplies, would support his sister site, although it is not required to be a member of this site.

I am NOT connected to www.apnealife.com and have no interest in that company, nor receive compensation for any endorsements.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 30, 2009 at 12:15pm

no offense taken. apnealife.com is just selling them for what the "going rate" is. if you find it cheaper, let me know and we'll price match. that said, i want to stress that Respironics is not trying to make this easy for patients to get. They don't market it at all, and sort of keep the availability of the card reader and software hush hush. The reason is that if they were to market it well, the clinicians who want to control your data would get pissed off. The clinicians are the manufacturers bread and butter, so they did the analysis and made a business decision to let the clinicians and not the patients control their data. BUT -- you can control your data if you buy the software and card reader from places like ApneaLife.com.

DDNight said:

sleepycarol said:

The card reader is actually $139 or if you buy BOTH the card reader and the software the bundled price is $199

I stand corrected....I guess I was just too flabbergasted on the price of the card reader itself! :)

I was not accusing apnealife.com of anything....Internet research has shown me that this price for the reader is standard which means Respironics is the one charging the ridiculous price for their reader.

Thanks for keeping me straight! :)

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Permalink Reply by Judy Sharp on April 30, 2009 at 9:04pm

I bought my smart card for $49.00 (DT3500) Infineer, I think that was a great price.

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Permalink Reply by LilaH on April 30, 2009 at 10:16pm

Any how-to for getting and viewing the data from a ResMed Escape II?

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Permalink Reply by Judy on April 30, 2009 at 10:36pm

IF your local DME supplier turned access to the advanced patient menu on you can access a good share of your data via the LCD screen on the Resmeds. HOWEVER, the Resmed S8 Escape and Resmed S8 Escape II are NOT fully data capable.

How long have you had your Escape, Lilah? If you've had it less that 30-45 days, take it back and diplomatically but firmly insist that they exchange that Escape for a Resmed S8 Elite II w/EPR.

Try calling your insurance company first and ask what local DME suppliers they are contracted with. Hopefully you will have the option of more than one as that will give you more bargaining/negotiating room. AND most insurances contract w/these local DME suppliers by HCPCS code NOT by brand and model and both the Escape and the Elite are HCPCS code e0601 so they can't charge you more for the Elite. They may try ... but don't let them get away with it, the Elite is an HCPCS code e0601, that is what your insurance company is paying for, HCPCS code e0601 and the Elite is the one you want. YOU are the one paying them whether thru insurance or out of pocket makes no difference. If you refuse to accept the Escape they don't get paid. If they want your business they will make the exchange at no extra charge.

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Permalink Reply by LilaH on April 30, 2009 at 11:10pm

Wow, I think it's been about 45 days since I got my Escape. I made the classic mistake of assuming that since it had a data card (and since I'd asked for a "fully data-capable machine") that the Escape was fully data capable.

Thanks for the advice about negotiating for a new machine. I don't suppose there is a way for ME to turn on the advanced patient menu? I don't think it is on already, as all I can do is set the ramp feature and the reduction of pressure when I exhale (can't remember the official term for that right now!).

Thanks again.

Judy said:

IF your local DME supplier turned access to the advanced patient menu on you can access a good share of your data via the LCD screen on the Resmeds. HOWEVER, the Resmed S8 Escape and Resmed S8 Escape II are NOT fully data capable.

How long have you had your Escape, Lilah? If you've had it less that 30-45 days, take it back and diplomatically but firmly insist that they exchange that Escape for a Resmed S8 Elite II w/EPR.

Try calling your insurance company first and ask what local DME suppliers they are contracted with. Hopefully you will have the option of more than one as that will give you more bargaining/negotiating room. AND most insurances contract w/these local DME suppliers by HCPCS code NOT by brand and model and both the Escape and the Elite are HCPCS code e0601 so they can't charge you more for the Elite. They may try ... but don't let them get away with it, the Elite is an HCPCS code e0601, that is what your insurance company is paying for, HCPCS code e0601 and the Elite is the one you want. YOU are the one paying them whether thru insurance or out of pocket makes no difference. If you refuse to accept the Escape they don't get paid. If they want your business they will make the exchange at no extra charge.

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Permalink Reply by Judy on May 1, 2009 at 12:39am

The Escape has no advanced patient menu because it is NOT fully data capable. It can't report anything but compliance data, i.e. how many nights and hours you are using it. Data that has NO VALUE to you or your sleep doctor, its ONLY value is to prove your compliance for the DME supplier to get paid by your insurance.

Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Call your insurace company TODAY and find out if you have the option of another local DME supplier. Take the Escape back to your current supplier and ask them to do a download and tell them you want a copy of the printout. Then when there is no data except the compliance data, tell them you were told that it was fully data capable and it was provided to you under false pretenses and you want it exchanged for the Elite. But you are running out of time, do it NOW.

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Permalink Reply by Mary J on May 2, 2009 at 2:09pm

Quick question - If I get the software and smart card reader.........does the data get deleted or will it stay on the card for my doctor appointments?

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Permalink Reply by Judy on May 2, 2009 at 7:27pm

With the EncorePro software the Default is to erase data. So if you have your local DME supplier or sleep doctor you can pretty much count on the data being deleted when they do the download.

I'm not sure how EncoreViewer works in that regard. Hopefully someone w/a Respironics and EncoreViewer will come along to answer this question.

W/the Resmeds and the ResScan software the Default is to NOT erase the data - but it CAN be set to Erase Data and I would guess that the local DME suppliers and sleep doctors have the software set to erase the data.

Best bet - with either brand - print out the results yourself and take them to your sleep professional rather than having them do the download. Then you don't have to worry about them erasing your data.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on May 2, 2009 at 8:22pm

with the encore viewer software and data card, i am able to download and print the data myself at any time, and for it to still be on the card to bring with me to discuss with my doctor. there's no auto delete.

Mary J said:

Quick question - If I get the software and smart card reader.........does the data get deleted or will it stay on the card for my doctor appointments?

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