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Product Focus 18 www.hmenews.com / june 2016 / hme news category Development Business Development By John Andrews, Contributing editor T he customer base for sleep therapy is growing, thanks to greater expo- sure in the media and those who use mobile device technology for health management, market specialists say. Public awareness of obstructive sleep apnea has increased dramatically due to a proliferation of news reports, advertise- ments and even discussion of the condition on scripted tV shows. For example, an epi- sode of "the simpsons" shows homer using a cPAP, as does tony soprano on the hBo series "the sopranos." "the difference between now and five years ago is the amount of people who even know what a cPAP is," said Alex Lucio, executive vice president of Winter haven, Fla.-based 3B medical. "People are talking about it in casual conversation. When you see it become ordinary, then you know it has become mainstream." As part of an outreach program, murrys- ville, Pa.-based Philips respironics recently contributed to a huffngton Post and Jet- Blue campaign to raise awareness around sleep deprivation and how suffcient sleep can lead to improvements in overall health and well-being. "though it is diffcult to pinpoint whether media campaigns directly correlate to more business, Philips has a long standing commit- Apnea awareness, technology drive sleep ment to raising awareness around osA and other sleep disorders," said mark D'Angelo, sleep business leader. the National healthy sleep Awareness Project estimates that 25 million u.s. adults remain undiagnosed for osA. however, media campaigns like healthy People 2020, launched by the Department of health and human services in 2010, are putting a bright spotlight on the condition, says maggie sin- nig, sales coordinator at chicago-based sun- set healthcare solutions. "It has become an objective for the govern- ment to increase the proportion of persons with symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea who seek medical evaluation," she said. TRucKeR TesTInG While apnea has several co-morbidities, such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity and diabetes, it is conditions that stem from sleep deprivation, like narcolepsy, that have gotten the public's attention due to accidents caused by drowsy drivers. the trucking industry has come under scrutiny by the National high- way traffc safety Administration for new regulations that would require all drivers be tested for apnea. It's an idea that promotes greater safety on the roadways and could boost the sleep indus- try's business, but michael P. coppola, mD, executive vice president of medical affairs for Novasom in Glen Burnie, md., says manda- tory testing and screening still face an uphill battle. "they're getting there, but the diffculty is with stepping on the toes of owner/opera- tors, truck driver unions and political push- back," he said. "And because of huge driver turnover, trucking companies are reluctant to take over the fnancial burden if they think the driver won't be working for them in a year." connecTIVITY AnD enGAGemenT the evolution of mobile device apps and wearable tracking devices like Fitbits has gotten people more involved in monitoring their health and that technology has helped the sleep industry connect with users, says mitch Yoel, executive vice president of busi- ness development for somerset, Pa.-based Drive|DeVilbiss healthcare. "the adoption of smart phone apps spe- cifcally has benefted patients and provid- ers alike," he said. "Patient education and engagement is key to promoting patient compliance, which ultimately benefts the patient's overall health. Providers benefit from the ease of wirelessly transmitted data and patients beneft from having an addition- al resource in their pocket to provide assis- tance with their ongoing therapy." For instance, Drive|DeVilbiss' smartLink app is designed to provide clinically relevant notifcations and alerts that are specifcally tailored to each individual's sleep therapy. By doing so, the app "enriches the mundane relationship an osA patient traditionally has with equipment," Yoel said. meanwhile, 3B medical has been focused on improving connectivity to meet the chal- lenges posed by reimbursement. "the challenge for the hme industry has been getting the data uploaded at the lowest possible cost point," said Lucio. "While we offer cellular data at the lowest cost point, we also offer many free ways of doing it— frst with Wi-Fi. By pairing the device with a router, they can have free data for the life of the device. our machines also display a Qr code that can be scanned and the data uploaded to the cloud." Bernadette mcBrearty, vice president of marketing communications for the Ameri- cas at san Diego-based resmed, says cPAP advancements don't just apply to better ft- ting masks, they also cover data collection for remote patient management. "It's no longer just about comfort and compliance—connectivity is so important, as well," she said. RemoTe TesTInG GAIns coppola, a pulmonary critical care and sleep physician, has seen the home sleep testing market evolve dramatically over the last 30 years. Long dominated by stand-alone sleep testing labs, the market is gradually accepting the validity of remote sleep testing as out- comes data becomes more reputable, he said. "home sleep testing is a reasonable alter- native and quickly becoming the standard," he said. "Patient acceptance is better, it can be done at a fraction of the cost and the results show it is equivalent and in some cases, superior to sleep lab tests." HME CatEgory Sleep Therapy WaKINg UP ■ ■ OSA awareness climbing: Through greater media exposure and well-publicized campaigns like World Sleep Day, the public is learning more about the existence of obstructive sleep apnea and it has led to a wider conversation about its impact on health. tECH savvy ■ ■ Apps and links: The proliferation of mobile devices has led to a greater connectivity between patients and providers for ongoing sleep therapy consultation and health management. rst gaINs ■ ■ Beyond the lab: Remote sleep testing has made some impressive gains in the lab-dominated feld due to better technology and more importantly, better data from home-based sleep studies. CPAP/CPAP Masks 3B Medical LUNa aUto CPaP ■ ■ Real time, no-cost cellular and Wi-Fi data reporting. ■ ■ QR coded data for smartphone upload. ■ ■ Interactive patient coaching with IVR, email and text. www.3bproducts.com CPAP Comfort Cover CPaP CoMfort CovEr ■ ■ Provides a soft barrier between mask and skin reducing skin irritation. ■ ■ Helps reduce air leaks on many mask styles. ■ ■ Stays in place with latex-free elastic; launder and wear over and over. www.cpapcomfortcover.com Hans Rudolph 7600 sErIEs fULL faCE v2 MasK ■ ■ Soft face mask avoids skin sores. ■ ■ Fits under the chin for secure seal even with a beard. ■ ■ Low cost, quiet, comfortable; available to all DMEs. www.rudolphkc.com VirtuOx vErIsLEEP ■ ■ Guarantees patient takes test, not their signifcant other. ■ ■ Meets FMCSA mandate for chain of custody for home sleep testing. ■ ■ Ideal for occupational and Department of Transportation home sleep testing. www.virtuox.net Philips Respironics DrEaMWEar UNDEr tHE NosE NasaL MasK ■ ■ Awarded Design Gold Award 2016 in product design discipline. ■ ■ Exceptional ft and comfort. ■ ■ Freedom of movement throughout the night. www.respironics.com Sunset Healthcare Solutions rxaIr ■ ■ Reduces air pollution linked to sleep disorders. ■ ■ Destroys more than 99% of airborne bacteria and viruses, including the fu. ■ ■ Utilizes high intensity germicidal ultraviolet light. www.sunsethcs.com Drive|DeVilbiss Healthcare INtELLIPaP2 aUtoaDjUst CPaP ■ ■ State-of-the-art technology in an aesthetically pleasing, small footprint design. ■ ■ Differentiates between periodic breathing, central sleep apnea and complex apnea events, and adjusts pressure. ■ ■ PulseDose heated humidifcation system provides humidifcation during inhalation only. www.drivemedical.com Apnea Monitors Circadiance sMartMoNItor 2 ■ ■ Comprehensive hospital and home-based event monitoring technology for newborns and infants. ■ ■ Measures heart rate, respiration and oxygen saturation levels. ■ ■ Generates diagnostic waveforms to document ALTEs like apnea, bradycardia, tachycardia and hypopnea. www.circadiance.com Home Sleep Testing Human Design Medical Z1 aUto CPaP ■ ■ Small, light auto CPAP. ■ ■ Full-featured, auto adjusting pressure. ■ ■ Free Nitelog App for iOS and Android devices. www.hdmusa.com Sleepnet INNova fULL faCE MasK ■ ■ Active headgear connector moves as you move for a reliable seal. ■ ■ Features ergonomic cushion for a comfortable ft. ■ ■ AIR°gel creates an ergonomic cushion that reduces pressure on your face. www.sleepnetmasks.com Airway Management MytaP PaP NPM ■ ■ Completely strapless CPAP mask with stability for no leaks. ■ ■ Quiet mask with the low pressure drop. ■ ■ Same billing codes as traditional nasal pillow masks. www.tapintosleep.com Contour Products CPaPMax PILLoW ■ ■ Comfort and compliance. ■ ■ Reduce leaks, noise, dry eyes and lines. ■ ■ Two sides, four different heights; hose control. www.cpapmax.com