Healthcare provider can't read SD card

[JJJ]

I have OSCAR 1.01 on Ubuntu and it works just fine. However, I have a problem with my healthcare provider (Kaiser Permanente) because the local office was unable to read the data from the SD card that I mailed to them last week. This happened a year ago also and, after talking with them about it then, we just gave up. They are aware that I use OSCAR and are not concerned about not being able to read my card, but still, they'd like to see my data. Just now I received a message from them saying that, once again, they have been unable to read my card, and "since you have said that you are able to download your SD card to a different program, then please mail in a copy of your report to CPK sleep medicine department at your earliest convenience." Accordingly I printed the statistics page from OSCAR and it's in the mail.

However, I am curious why they can't read the card. OSCAR has no problem with it, so what could be the problem? The card that I sent them was from my Dreamstation BIPAP, which is the second Dreamstation that I got from them. The first was a standard Dreamstation APAP and, after using it for 11 months I traded it for the BIPAP - although only because I needed higher pressures. When they told me a year ago that they couldn't read the card they told me that the card was blank (definitely not true). I surmised that they had not changed my patient data to reflect my changed machine, therefore their software was still looking for data for my old machine and, not finding it, announced that there was no data. So, before sending them the card, I had them read to me the serial number of the machine that their software thinks I have, and it was for the BIPAP. But they still can't read my card, so my lovely theory has now crashed and burned. 

They have not told me what software they use, but this office supplies only Respironics machines to their patients. They have told me that they are not permitted to install other software (e.g., OSCAR) on their computers. I have the impression that their staff is not very computer literate - once when they told me a year ago that there was no data on my card I asked them to look at the card with their file manager, and they didn't know what a file manager was.

I could use some new theories as to why their software can't read the data from my SD card. Any suggestions?

[Crimson Nape]

I would recommend that you upgrade to OSCAR v1.1.1. What program are they using to read your data? That could be the key to the problem.

[Sleeprider]

I don't think your version of Oscar makes any difference. The program does not write or overwrite data on the SD card. It is a read only function. If your DME cannot read the card, the problem is likely on their end.

[SarcasticDave94]

I would guess Kaiser just hired some poor minimum wage flunky to attempt reading the SD data and hasn't yet learned how to do that. My former pulmonary healthcare provider never asked to see my card data. It could be that they might have run across the same not knowing how to extract the data or they'd forgotten that my ASV came with an SD card.

[JJJ]

I would recommend that you upgrade to OSCAR v1.1.1.  What program are they using to read your data?   That could be the key to the problem.

They haven't told me what software they are using. They may not even be aware of what it is called. I was hoping that someone here might be familiar with software packages used by medical offices. All I know for sure is that this office provides only Respironics machines, although Kaiser offices elsewhere frequently supply Resmed machines.

I am convinced that the problem is on their end. I need to be able to give them foolproof instructions for how to read the data from the SD card. Oh, and I should have mentioned that once a year ago they were able to get the data from my original Dreamstation by using the modem. I dislike the idea of anyone being able to access my machine, so I removed the modem, and I never bring the machine to their office.

[jaswilliams]

Ah that may be the problem if they normally use the online service they just don’t use the card reader anymore so it’s not working or they have forgotten how. It’s not your problem

[OpalRose]

They haven't told me what software they are using. They may not even be aware of what it is called. I was hoping that someone here might be familiar with software packages used by medical offices. All I know for sure is that this office provides only Respironics machines, although Kaiser offices elsewhere frequently supply Resmed machines.

I am convinced that the problem is on their end. I need to be able to give them foolproof instructions for how to read the data from the SD card. Oh, and I should have mentioned that once a year ago they were able to get the data from my original Dreamstation by using the modem. I dislike the idea of anyone being able to access my machine, so I removed the modem, and I never bring the machine to their office.

They should be using Encore Pro for the DreamStation or some other Encore Software, which they probably are not doing.

Most doctors rely on obtaining your data through the Modem on your machine, which you said you removed. I would too...

It sounds like they are just being lazy.

[Sleeprider]

You can obtain a copy of EncorePro 2.24 through the forum private files and links (look about 12 links down). It is a huge clumsy program intended for managing multiple patient files in a secure database, that is difficult to use and offers much less detail that OSCAR. I'm not recommending it, however you could create your own reports in the format they are accustomed to seeing. At the very least they would wonder how the hell you got it. Anyway, you could just send them a PDF of the Encore report instead of your SD card.

[Hydrangea]

Instead of resolving the problem, I might be inclined to ask if it's worth attempting to resolve.

What data will they be looking at?

My sleep "doctor" only looked at hours used and AHI. He had no care for any other info. So it would have been not worth my while to push for him to see more info.

[NotADr]

Third year in a row and my doc has been unable to read my cards. I have two -- one from a Dreamstation Go and the other from a Resmed Airsense 10. One of those years I took both machines in the office, but that didn't help. However, my doc doesn't mind getting the info off the Oscar print-outs. He hadn't seen Oscar earlier but as mentioned above he probably only glances at the AHI and hours anyway.