2022 HME Business Handbook: Sleep Therapy
Embracing Remote PAP Setup For Sleep Patients
- By Bhavi Ogra
- Jun 01, 2022
PAP therapy supports
better sleep at night and
improved functioning during
the day in patients with OSA.
Despite the success of PAP therapy,
compliance remains poor as many
patients find wearing a mask
uncomfortable or disruptive to
their normal sleep routine.
Compliance of any kind
requires buy-in from the patient,
particularly among those newly
diagnosed. Some level of the
existing dissatisfaction with PAP
therapy is likely due to a lack of
patient empowerment, or reduced
confidence in navigating the
treatment. This is where the remote
setup model may be useful. Apps
that guide sleep users through
set up and prepackaging of all
necessary supplies to get started
are encouraging greater patient
self-sufficiency and easy resolution
of the fitting issues.
Once prescribed, patients
usually receive face-to-face
education about PAP therapy,
personalized mask fittings, and
trialing of treatment in a sleep
lab environment under the
supervision of an experienced
sleep technologist or physician.
PAP therapy consists of many
complex components, all designed
to work together to offer the most
comfortable, trouble-free experience
for patients.
NEW APPROACHES
Long-term compliance patterns are
often established in the first few days of
starting PAP therapy. Patients may switch
masks during this period, but more
frequent switching is associated with
ending treatment early. For this reason,
F&P provides support services to help
providers set up patients, and in doing
so, simplify the process of beginning
treatment.
The myMask app is designed to
support the early, most crucial stages of
a patient’s treatment journey. The app
enables mask setup, independent of
guidance from a healthcare professional.
Videos and animations containing visual
cues and prompts provide step-by-step
instructions on fitting a mask, fine-tuning
its positioning, and cleaning. Users of
the app will find the content accessible,
customized to each F&P mask, and
generally solution-driven, allowing
patients to troubleshoot mask issues at
their own pace and in their own time.
Alongside this is the Fit Pack range of
mask models, which come pre-fitted with
a cushion size that will fit most patients.
Each bag also contains multiple cushion
sizes that patients can fit to themselves,
wear over an extended period, and then
decide on their cushion size preference.
Moreover, because packs are
compatible with the smartphone app,
patients are encouraged to invest
more time in obtaining the right fit and
understanding how their mask can
be adjusted to suit their unique facial
features.
At F&P, masks are designed with
performance and comfort in mind, and as
part of a Care by Design approach, which
is centered on satisfying the needs and
expectations of patients. This philosophy
extends to our range of remote setup
solutions, which ensure a successful early
experience with PAP therapy, and one
that is comprehensive enough to foster
a patient’s transition from novice to
proficient user. This begins with achieving
an appropriate mask fit. We believe that
getting this right for patients will make
ongoing treatment management easier
for healthcare professionals.
MARKET FACTORS
Recent events, such as the COVID-19
pandemic, have meant the use of PAP
therapy has become restricted in clinical
settings. Treatment setup pathways are
now more numerous and diverse.
Remote setup allows users to start
treatment in a real-world environment,
placing control back in the hands of
patients. The phone app and packs
can help healthcare professionals lead
fitting sessions, but can also supplement
the advice patients receive from their
provider as part of standard clinical
practice.
Therefore, these tools are beneficial
for all users and audiences. Making these
services widely available gives patients
a sense of autonomy over their own
healthcare, while also minimizing the
workload of providers.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Remote setup solutions, such as
the myMask app and Fit Packs,
continue to reinforce messages
around the importance of cleaning
equipment, controlling leaks, and
mitigating contributors to mask
discomfort.
- Providing greater support may
improve compliance with PAP
therapy.
- DMEs will benefit from patients
becoming more self-reliant in fitting
masks and troubleshooting issues
with on-demand advice from device
manufacturers. More extensive use
of remote setup solutions will likely
alleviate the burdens associated
with mask refitting and follow-up.
LEARN MORE
To learn more about Fisher & Paykel
Healthcare’s remote PAP setup
solutions, visit fphcare.com.
This article originally appeared in the May/Jun 2022 issue of HME Business.
About the Author
Bhavi Ogra is the Senior Category Marketing Manager for Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. She has led its Clinical Research Program, initiating and managing clinical investigations and engaging with leaders on sleep and breathing treatments in the home during her 13-year career with FPH in New Zealand.