A survey done by the patient-support Web site TalkAboutSleep.com found that, while sleep apnea patients reported cleaning their masks often and using their therapy regularly, the majority were not replacing their masks as often as recommended.
The blind survey, conducted during May 2006, found that only 30% of respondents had replaced their masks in the past 9 months. About 54% had not replaced their masks in the past 10 months, and 48% had never replaced their masks at all. Significantly, about 30% of respondents said they use more than one mask.
“We were surprised to find that even patients who actively seek CPAP information online don’t realize that many insurance providers will cover replacement masks and accessory parts as often as every 3 to 6 months,” said Michael Farrell, vice president of marketing, ResMed Corp, Poway, Calif.
In addition to the low mask replacement, the majority of patients said that they were not in frequent contact with their equipment provider.
As a solution to these issues, ResMed encourages sleep and home health care professionals to take advantage of online resources, including the patient Web site MyResMed.com. “MyResMed provides a free service to help [equipment] dealers and sleep clinicians educate and support new CPAP users," Farrell said. "That’s the way to help patients have a successful future."
To view the complete results of the survey and learn more about MyResMed.com, visit [removed]http://www.MyResMed.com/medicalprofessionals[/removed].
