Local Sleep Clinic Complaints . . .

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I post on hearingaidforum.com and you should see how seniors are treated by that industry.

[Mosquitobait]

obieephyhm, I also live in the Minneapolis area. Most, but not all, of the sleep clinics are privately owned, but associated with one of the area groups, i.e. Fairview, Allina, etc. Google COMPLAINTS and the name of the medical group and you should be able to get info on where you can voice your complaint. The medical board only cares about actual medical issues, so they are kindof useless in this instance.

Otherwise, I don't know enough about your situation to comment. I've never heard anybody use the word 'paradigm' at me yet, although I know it's bandied about now and then. I do understand the frustration. I spent 3 hours on the phone today trying to get a simple extension tube for a medical device. Nobody locally will sell it without a prescription and I can't get the damned doctor's office to send one to the drug store so it can be ordered TODAY. Fortunately, having learned from here that you can buy PART of a medical device without a prescription, I found and ordered it from Amazon. Really. Amazon, no prescription required for the exact same sterile part (and oh, it's from a medical supply company no less!).

[trish6hundred]

Hi obieephyhm,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Wow, you have been through a lot; I’m sorry you aren’t getting good treatment from your doc. Hopefully, you can find a Dr. who is more respectful to you and can help you rather than be a PITA.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.

[cate1898]

Yes I remember BBS and posting on them... 1200 baud modems.... waiting an eternity for a web page to load...then came along DSL which was 2 times as fast, yes that TWICE as fast LOL! Used to be able to go make a coffee while a web page loaded.

Don't miss that!

[otrpu]

Glad you got yur part. Not to hijack the thread, but my first typesetting telecommunication jobs were @ 300 baud to 8in SSSD (Single Sided Single Density), floppies. Just text, no graphics. 1200 Baud was really flying compared to that.

Cheers,
otrpu

[Homerec130]

I remember when 1200 baud was earth shattering. When I was stationed in Japan I was the Sysop for our local Apple BBS (Byte my Ascii) as I lived right across the street from where the system was located.

Remember the old acoustic couplers for doing dialup? You put the phone on it and then dialed. Never could sneak a log on as the modems made too much noise.

Homer

[obieephyhm]

Well, obieephyhm, I do remember the BBS world, as well as 1200 baud modems and the seeming miracle when they introduced the 2400 baud modem. I'll let Medicare pay for everything I can. So you're not alone in here.

As we are basically in the same area, I'll be glad to pass along the name of a certified sleep doctor (a pulmonologist) in our area via email to one of the moderators here, if you're interested. I was treated by all the staff with both professionalism and dignity.
(Being a new member here, I'm not sure how things are done.)

If you have a complaint against a physician you can contact the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

Good suggestions. My original sleep doctor was also a pulmonologist but he went into the cities to practice at HCMC (from my then primary clinic of PNMC). I'm in an outer-ring suburb to the north and I generally try to avoid going into the cities anymore than I have to -- which usually revolves around the U transplant clinics. So, yeah, I'd like to at least hear your recommendation.

I learned to care for my own machine and make the necessary adjustments over the years (in fact, finding a new machine code was the raison d'etre for coming to the Apnea board in 2013). I just need to be attached to a doctor who can 'prescribe' these things . . . I'm not having any problems and I don't need another sleep study or all the horse-hockey paperwork they want to make me run laps around with. If it ain't broke . . .

[DMR1]

Well, obieephyhm, I do remember the BBS world, as well as 1200 baud modems and the seeming miracle when they introduced the 2400 baud modem. I'll let Medicare pay for everything I can. So you're not alone in here.

As we are basically in the same area, I'll be glad to pass along the name of a certified sleep doctor (a pulmonologist) in our area via email to one of the moderators here, if you're interested. I was treated by all the staff with both professionalism and dignity.
(Being a new member here, I'm not sure how things are done.)

If you have a complaint against a physician you can contact the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

Good suggestions. My original sleep doctor was also a pulmonologist but he went into the cities to practice at HCMC (from my then primary clinic of PNMC). I'm in an outer-ring suburb to the north and I generally try to avoid going into the cities anymore than I have to -- which usually revolves around the U transplant clinics. So, yeah, I'd like to at least hear your recommendation.

I learned to care for my own machine and make the necessary adjustments over the years (in fact, finding a new machine code was the raison d'etre for coming to the Apnea board in 2013). I just need to be attached to a doctor who can 'prescribe' these things . . . I'm not having any problems and I don't need another sleep study or all the horse-hockey paperwork they want to make me run laps around with. If it ain't broke . . .

I am also north of the Twin Cities and avoid it as much as possible. I'll pass along my information to one of the moderators here and ask them to pass it along to you. I hope it helps and please keep us posted.

[Mosquitobait]

Good suggestions. My original sleep doctor was also a pulmonologist but he went into the cities to practice at HCMC (from my then primary clinic of PNMC). I'm in an outer-ring suburb to the north and I generally try to avoid going into the cities anymore than I have to -- which usually revolves around the U transplant clinics. So, yeah, I'd like to at least hear your recommendation.

I learned to care for my own machine and make the necessary adjustments over the years (in fact, finding a new machine code was the raison d'etre for coming to the Apnea board in 2013). I just need to be attached to a doctor who can 'prescribe' these things . . . I'm not having any problems and I don't need another sleep study or all the horse-hockey paperwork they want to make me run laps around with. If it ain't broke . . .

If you have a copy of your original sleep study and just need a new machine, your primary can give you a prescription. Medicare requires a prescription and copy of the clinic notes where you and doc discuss your need for the new machine. For compliance, you will have to have one more discussion with your doc about how your machine is working for you within 90 days of receiving said machine. We are a Medicare bid area, which limits your choices of DME if you want Medicare to pay for it. Avoid Apria. There is a place in St. Cloud that might actually be closer to you - I have no personal experience with them as yet, but they do carry Resmed vs. Lincare, which carries it but doesn't stock it.