Want to make sure I understand why data capable is desired.

[Sleepster]

You are really the only one that cares. As long as you are compliant and the cash is flowing, the DME nor the Doc give a rip.

Well, I think that's perhaps a bit unfair. What we can say for sure is that no matter how much the Dr. cares about you, you almost certainly care more about yourself.

Many patients don't care at all, and that's their choice.

But doctors have a choice, too. And many of them decide to not care. That's unprofessional. If you were a doctor treating a patient you'd want to see the data, and you'd tell the patient that it's important.

The patient having to tell the doctor that it's important is backwards. But that's the way it is more often than not.

[Mosquitobait]

You can always use money as your reasoning. You spent $2000 on a sleep study that is obsolete the very next day. A data capable machine at least tells you how you are doing night-to-night and ILLUSTRATES current success or failure to direct improvements.

For example, your AHI might be under 1. Sounds great right? But that is based on events throughout the night. What if ALL your events occur during a single 20 minute time period? Your AHI during that time period could be pretty awful, but you'd never know that with a brick. Is it your mask? Is it you? You would never know.

[SephixT]

Thanks guys. That pretty much does answer my question on if I understand why data capable is better.

Data capable is desired so you can verify better whether your treatment is working well or not.

Whether you want to avoid going to your doctor or not is separate.

I didn't really mean it as a matter of whether or not *I* want to avoid a doctor visit, but more rather if I for some reason needed to explain to my doctor why I wanted a particular machine, explaining that a data capable machine would let me understand if/how well my treatment is working on my own instead of having come see them every time something might go a little wonky will probably be seen as a plus.

It makes no difference if it's the doctor or you who's looking. Either the data is there or it isn't. In that sense there's no such thing as "better" data.

If the doctor doesn't want the data, then he's a doctor who's not looking out for your best interests. If you don't want the data then that's all that matters. Fly blind!

As far as I'm concerned, more data IS better data. Some data is better than none, and comprehensive data is better than limited data. I love the idea of being able to see what's going on in my sleep myself. I'm merely trying to anticipate a situation where I may have to explain why I want a particular machine, if I need one. If I'm going down the path of a sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, I intend to start off on the right foot by making sure I have the right tools.

[Terry]

It makes no difference if it's the doctor or you who's looking. Either the data is there or it isn't. In that sense there's no such thing as "better" data.

If the doctor doesn't want the data, then he's a doctor who's not looking out for your best interests. If you don't want the data then that's all that matters. Fly blind!

This pretty much covers it.

If your machine doesn't record full data, your doctor has no way to tell if it's working or not, and isn't someone you want as your doctor.

It's like if you went to a CPA to get your taxes done and he said "I don't need all those papers, I'll just take a guess"

[Sleepster]

As far as I'm concerned, more data IS better data. Some data is better than none, and comprehensive data is better than limited data.

Yes, but there's no array of options. For the most part a machine is either a brick that records only hours used, or it's a machine that records all the data possible. There are a few machines out there that fall in between these two, but they really are just marketing schemes.

Despite what the manufacturers would have you believe is implied, they contain a flow rate sensor and a pressure sensor. That's all there is for collecting data, so either they are engineered to collect and process those sensor inputs and provide the data or they aren't.

Anything short of a fully data-capable machine is a rip off. They exist only for equipment supplier profiteering. Those equipment suppliers are the manufacturer's customers, not us, the end users. Fishing lures are made to be attractive to the fisherman, not the fish; because it's the fisherman paying, not the fish. Likewise for CPAP machines.

[archangle]

Despite what the manufacturers would have you believe is implied, they contain a flow rate sensor and a pressure sensor. That's all there is for collecting data, so either they are engineered to collect and process those sensor inputs and provide the data or they aren't.

The PRS1 Plus and below machines only have one sensor, not a separate pressure and flow rate sensor like the Pro and above models.

As far as I can tell, everything above the Plus models is the same hardware with different software. (for the machines that appear identical on the outside.)

I suspect the same is true for ResMed.