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Finding New Provider
#11
RE: Finding New Provider
(02-09-2014, 01:05 PM)zonk Wrote: I,m intrigued with this discussion
How you spot a good sleep doctor vs bad sleep doctor
If all they do view the data and tell me, hours using the machine, AHI, leak and stuff like that which I already knew ... not rocket science

First of all I want respect from my doctor. I feel that respect is 'earned' not given. If a doctor starts off being sarcastic and acting rude, he/she has not 'earned' respect in my book.

My new sleep doctor came into the room, introduced himself, sat down and asked me "How can I help you, I see by the print outs that you are doing pretty good with your cpap. Do you have questions or is there something about the cpap that I can help you with?"

To me, this kind of approach is much better than a doctor who is rude and doesn't seem to care that the patient has feelings.

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#12
RE: Finding New Provider
I understand what you,re saying but my doctor just the same, not all doctors have good bedside manners
I cannot see anything wrong with this approach, first he looked at the numbers which indicate all is honky-dory and then asked the followup question "is there something about the cpap that I can help you with?"

Which is reasonable to ask, he cannot fix a problem that he is not aware of, its up to us to come prepared, writing some questions on a piece of paper of any concern we might have
The better questions we ask ... the better answers we get so the doctor have to work a bit harder for his money Coffee
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#13
RE: Finding New Provider
I have recently switched DME from a local only provider to a national brand name. I originally got my first cpap from the trucking company I worked for. They Provided the DR. and Equipment. After being on Cpap for about 9 months I was fired and they took back my machine. I lived for the next 15 months without when I decided I would try to get one using my regular primary care DR. and Insurance, since April 2011 I have had my current machine and use it every night. What I am saying is even without good support you can still use your equipment you don't need anyone to tell you to do so. It is your life after all.
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#14
RE: Finding New Provider
(02-09-2014, 06:14 PM)Drylander69 Wrote: It is your life after all.
+1
welcome aboard, Drylander69
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#15
RE: Finding New Provider
Hi Drylander69,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
trish6hundred
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#16
RE: Finding New Provider
(02-09-2014, 06:14 PM)Drylander69 Wrote: After being on Cpap for about 9 months I was fired and they took back my machine. I lived for the next 15 months without when I decided I would try to get one using my regular primary care DR. and Insurance

Oh my, that is awful. If I where in that situation I would tell them:
"I'll give you my pap when you pry (or take) it from my cold, dead hands"
Wink
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#17
RE: Finding New Provider
Thanks for all the replies. I'm thinking the major thing I'm picking up from your answers is that we know in our gut if we're not being treated respectfully and fairly. I can't go into specifics about what's wrong because I'm sure we aren't the only ones reading this board. All I can really say is my time is valuable to me and I should be treated with respect, and I haven't been. It's not that I've been rude in any way, either. I've got more brains than that. Some providers are just burned out. Some DMEs should be out of business because of their negativity. That's all I'm saying and I'm not going to settle for talking about someone's grandkids or weight gain when I'm supposed to be talking about my sleep apnea. I haven't gotten my new referral yet and just called my doc to set them on the right track again. I hate waiting, but like I said, politeness is the best policy. Love, DJ
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#18
RE: Finding New Provider
people don't care about things like this like they used to. I can remember a long time ago when neighbors didn't have a lot of money, etc., but, when someone was sick, they all would bring food to them. When someone's animal was having trouble delivering, they would all help. They helped build barns for their neighbors, watched their children as if they were their own children, helped out in any crisis, shovel snow, help put out a house fire and rebuild the house, etc. It isn't like that anymore. Today, everyone fends for themselves and there isn't the neighbors helping neighbors neighborhoods anymore.

Take a look around the people you see in the mall, in the grocery store, in restaurants, at the theater, etc., and see how they are today. Take a look at the teenagers and even younger children and see how they are so much different than when some of us grew up. We didn't have a lot of toys, clothes, etc., but we found things to do and play with and we weren't like the children being brought up today. The same goes for customer service. A lot of times, it sucks. A lot of businesses have the attitude (DME's, etc.) that their services are needed and that the patient is beholding to them. Even with my internal med doc, his receptionist cannot keep up with her job and she rarely returns phone calls and I have caught her 2 times giving medical advice without knowing the patient history, etc. Some things from the "older years" I sure miss.

How many remember when cars had no seat belts, jumping from the loft of a barn into a pile of hay, party lines, etc.? lol
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#19
RE: Finding New Provider
(02-11-2014, 09:11 AM)me50 Wrote: How many remember when cars had no seat belts, jumping from the loft of a barn into a pile of hay, party lines, etc.? lol

Shoot, ME, I remember when dirt was new.

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#20
RE: Finding New Provider
(02-09-2014, 01:05 PM)zonk Wrote: I,m intrigued with this discussion
How you spot a good sleep doctor vs bad sleep doctor
If all they do view the data and tell me, hours using the machine, AHI, leak and stuff like that which I already knew ... not rocket science
This is pretty easy even for the uninitiated-

Good Dr.,
Takes the time to see you, explains what is wrong, explains the issues, explains the treatments, explains what you have to do, what he will be doing, etc. Treats you respectfully, and seems genuinely concerned about you and your health

Bad Dr.,
Walks in the room, says something like "You have sleep apnea" see my nurse she'll get you a script for a machine, and tell you where to go. Seems to value you only as a paycheck and doesn't really care about you too much, just another number, like when you go to DMV to renew your license.

My Dr was awesome. He had a whole story prepared, and a comic routine. I did the sleep study and saw him in the morning. When I came in his office the very first thing he did was introduce himself and hand me a printout of which he had a copy. He walked me through the printout. He started with my apnea and saying things like "see here this is you trying to breathe, this is you not breathing, this is you holding your breath, ok let's start you didn't breath fro 47 seconds, so on 3 we are going to hold our breath 1, 2, 3, go!, unhappy brain not breathing, oxygen deprived, etc." Then he went on to the next part after they fitted the mask, and he said things like "see happy brain, plenty of oxygen, lungs filling with air, body feeling better all oxygenated, etc"

He was hilarious, and more than that he made a great experience of it telling me what was happening, what I had to do, how the treatment worked, how it helped, and all the details. then when he was all done he looked at me and said "Did I answer any and all questions you might have or do you still have questions?" Then he took the time to answer anything I asked and even show me his screen and my recordings to help me understand.

I hope everyone who has sleep apnea can find a Dr that was as awesome as he was he made this a much better process.

Oh yah almost forgot, that's how you know!
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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