Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

[Guest guest]

hi Randy,

I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney.  I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.several challenges:- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust?  Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive.  So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600?  Surely there must be some reimbursement?BIGGEST CHALLENGE:- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital.  Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating  team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves.  I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.any suggestions??  Really hope you can help!  Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath".looking forward to hearing from you Randy,cheers,Joy Joy HensbyConsumer RepresentativeStatewide Respiratory Clinical NetworkQueensland Australia-----------endiandra@...07 4038 27700488 179 818

[Guest guest]



Hello Everyone,

What is a Methacholine Challenge test ?

Shay

Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

hi Randy, I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney. I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.

several challenges:

- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.

- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust? Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).

- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive. So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600? Surely there must be some reimbursement?

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital. Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.

I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves. I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.

any suggestions? ? Really hope you can help! Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath" .

looking forward to hearing from you Randy,

cheers,

Joy

Joy Hensby

Consumer Representative

Statewide Respiratory Clinical Network

Queensland Australia

-----------

endiandralizzy (DOT) com.au

07 4038 2770

0488 179 818

[Guest guest]

Hi TheresaHow awful and demeaning !. Sounds as if this Dr is more interested in protecting his own ego than attending to your best interests. How arrogant of him and how silly of him not to seize the moment and educate himself on innovations to help his patients.The Vest is available internationally not only America , it's just that there's a lot of Americans on this site.YES , IT HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY. in the 30 years that I've been managing bronchiectasis , the last 3 years I've been doing daily clearance with The Vest and have improved dramatically . I've been infection and antibiotic & steroid free for a year, and my only med is albuterol in my micro air

nebulizer. If you can , change your Dr. To: bronchiectasis Sent: Sat, April 17, 2010 7:39:00 PMSubject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

Hi

I'm an Australian & I mentioned the Vest to my specialist. He was annoyed & asked me how I knew about these "things". When I said it had been around for awhile in the US, & that I heard about it on a support group with a lot of Americans in it he was even more annoyed.

Does the Vest really help?

Keep well everyone. Theresa

From: ericnkayncomcast (DOT) net <ericnkayncomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to RandyTo: bronchiectasis@ yahoogroups. comReceived: Saturday, 17 April, 2010, 12:30 PM

Randy, maybe since Joy's Internet service is slow and limited info on The Vest could be sent via "snail mail", regular U.S. Postal Service, to Joy in Australia. Should take less than a week since it would go via air. Then the number of pages of info it's necessary to send to explain The Vest to Joy's doctors wouldn't be a problem.

Kay Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

hi Randy, I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney. I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.

several challenges:

- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.

- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust? Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).

- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive. So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600? Surely there must be some reimbursement?

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital. Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.

I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves. I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.

any suggestions? ? Really hope you can help! Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath" .

looking forward to hearing from you Randy,

cheers,

Joy

Joy Hensby

Consumer Representative

Statewide Respiratory Clinical Network

Queensland Australia

-----------

endiandralizzy (DOT) com.au

07 4038 2770

0488 179 818

[Guest guest]

Oh Thereza I am sooo sorry!! That is just not acceptable for any dr, but especially a lung specialist!We used to live in a smaller city/town in N. IL., about 100 miles west of Chicago. The one lung specialist there, for kids, was unable to turn to another ped. pulm. dr and bounce ideas off of. He worked harder to 'get it right'because he had no one to back him up!I wonder if your spec. has no one to back him up, so he gets frustrated at the idea of having to do something"new and un-tried"! Is he willing to help you??To: bronchiectasis Sent: Sat, April 17, 2010 7:39:00 PMSubject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

Hi

I'm an Australian & I mentioned the Vest to my specialist. He was annoyed & asked me how I knew about these "things". When I said it had been around for awhile in the US, & that I heard about it on a support group with a lot of Americans in it he was even more annoyed.

Does the Vest really help?

Keep well everyone. Theresa

From: ericnkayncomcast (DOT) net <ericnkayncomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to RandyTo: bronchiectasis@ yahoogroups. comReceived: Saturday, 17 April, 2010, 12:30 PM

Randy, maybe since Joy's Internet service is slow and limited info on The Vest could be sent via "snail mail", regular U.S. Postal Service, to Joy in Australia. Should take less than a week since it would go via air. Then the number of pages of info it's necessary to send to explain The Vest to Joy's doctors wouldn't be a problem.

Kay Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

hi Randy, I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney. I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.

several challenges:

- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.

- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust? Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).

- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive. So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600? Surely there must be some reimbursement?

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital. Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.

I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves. I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.

any suggestions? ? Really hope you can help! Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath" .

looking forward to hearing from you Randy,

cheers,

Joy

Joy Hensby

Consumer Representative

Statewide Respiratory Clinical Network

Queensland Australia

-----------

endiandralizzy (DOT) com.au

07 4038 2770

0488 179 818

[Guest guest]

It's a pulmonary function test. One will be w/ Methacholine and one w/out. It just measures how wellyour blood is absorbing oxygen and also how deeply you breathe It's a fairly simple breathing test, you puff into a tube and "blow out candles" or "shoot the rocket to the moon". Well, that's what they do in pediatrics, anyway! Good luck! KrisTo: bronchiectasis Sent: Sat, April 17, 2010 7:48:00 PMSubject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy



Hello Everyone,

What is a Methacholine Challenge test ?

Shay

Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

hi Randy, I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney. I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.

several challenges:

- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.

- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust? Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).

- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive. So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600? Surely there must be some reimbursement?

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital. Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.

I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves. I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.

any suggestions? ? Really hope you can help! Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath" .

looking forward to hearing from you Randy,

cheers,

Joy

Joy Hensby

Consumer Representative

Statewide Respiratory Clinical Network

Queensland Australia

-----------

endiandralizzy (DOT) com.au

07 4038 2770

0488 179 818

[Guest guest]

1 more thing, Theraza: My little boy has been on the physio vest since the day before our American Thanksgiving, the last Thursday in Nov, '09. He has just been given such GOOD news @ Mayo Clinic.That vest has taken him from a heavy thick cough to complete clearance. You HAVE to convince this jerk, your doc, that he HAS to do just alittle research into his own specialty!!From: Davies

To: bronchiectasis Sent: Sat, April 17, 2010 10:33:32 PMSubject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

Hi TheresaHow awful and demeaning !. Sounds as if this Dr is more interested in protecting his own ego than attending to your best interests. How arrogant of him and how silly of him not to seize the moment and educate himself on innovations to help his patients.The Vest is available internationally not only America , it's just that there's a lot of Americans on this site.YES , IT HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY. in the 30 years that I've been managing bronchiectasis , the last 3 years I've been doing daily clearance with The Vest and have improved dramatically . I've been infection and antibiotic & steroid free for a year, and my only med is albuterol in my micro air

nebulizer. If you can , change your Dr. From: Thereza Greene <therezagreene@ yahoo.com>To: bronchiectasis@ yahoogroups. comSent: Sat, April 17, 2010 7:39:00 PMSubject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

Hi

I'm an Australian & I mentioned the Vest to my specialist. He was annoyed & asked me how I knew about these "things". When I said it had been around for awhile in the US, & that I heard about it on a support group with a lot of Americans in it he was even more annoyed.

Does the Vest really help?

Keep well everyone. Theresa

From: ericnkayncomcast (DOT) net <ericnkayncomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to RandyTo: bronchiectasis@ yahoogroups. comReceived: Saturday, 17 April, 2010, 12:30 PM

Randy, maybe since Joy's Internet service is slow and limited info on The Vest could be sent via "snail mail", regular U.S. Postal Service, to Joy in Australia. Should take less than a week since it would go via air. Then the number of pages of info it's necessary to send to explain The Vest to Joy's doctors wouldn't be a problem.

Kay Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

hi Randy, I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney. I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.

several challenges:

- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.

- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust? Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).

- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive. So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600? Surely there must be some reimbursement?

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital. Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.

I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves. I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.

any suggestions? ? Really hope you can help! Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath" .

looking forward to hearing from you Randy,

cheers,

Joy

Joy Hensby

Consumer Representative

Statewide Respiratory Clinical Network

Queensland Australia

-----------

endiandralizzy (DOT) com.au

07 4038 2770

0488 179 818

[Guest guest]



Thanks Kris

Shay

Re: Hill-Rom/The Vest to Randy

hi Randy, I'm the one in Australia, where as far as know there are maybe 3 Hill-Rom Vests in the whole of Australia, all in Sydney. I found one distributor - Brightsky.com, based in Sydney, Birgitte Maibom was the very helpful lady I spoke with.

several challenges:

- I live a long way from Sydney, therefore unable to access for trial.

- Cost: Hill-Rom $18000 in Australia; Electromed not sure, maybe around $150-16000 in Aust? Both hugely expensive, so definitely want a good trial period before purchasing (no insurance in Aust to cover this).

- $600 (Hill-Rom, don't know about Electromed) to purchase the jacket (if could get hold of Vest for trial) - again too expensive. So, if not suitable for one or another reason, I just throw away $600? Surely there must be some reimbursement?

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

- NO-ONE knows of this device in the area I live, including physios, thoracic specialists or general practice doctors, let alone our hospital. Getting around this is quite difficult, strange tho that may seem, and I would not be happy to purchase and use without my treating team's knowledge & good understanding of the Vest.

I have dial-up, so am limited re MB size I can download, because never heard of this device it's hard to convince my drs to look it up themselves. I've looked at the Electromed website and sorry just no info I really need: eg cost, how obtain, if cost of jacket to trial, how to organise that etc etc.

any suggestions? ? Really hope you can help! Also now need to know if can be used safely with a portacath - I just described it in previous post "Vest/portacath" .

looking forward to hearing from you Randy,

cheers,

Joy

Joy Hensby

Consumer Representative

Statewide Respiratory Clinical Network

Queensland Australia

-----------

endiandralizzy (DOT) com.au

07 4038 2770

0488 179 818

[Guest guest]

Hi Kay/Randy,

I have a fax number info can be sent to. I wrote earlier today to

Jane Hess from Electromed, giving her the number, and still waiting

for real contact with their international people, Patty and Bob

Best. I did contact Bob quite some time ago but nothing was really

forthcoming.... Jane is passing on the number to Patty, hopefully I

will get the info this time? !

here's hoping!

joy

[Guest guest]

hi Theresa,

so far I've also had a very cool - if any - response re telling

clinicians & specialist about the Vest. Seems they equate it with

'quack' treatments like magnetic mattresses or going to Lourdes....

(sigh!). Seems if it's used in UK then it would be more

acceptable .... ? Ultra conservative, unwilling to look into things

that are new to them esp if it comes via a patient rather than the

AMA itself...

Drs are weird!

I've been in touch with Jane Hess, she emailed me some info but

couldn't download 6MB on dial internet. Maybe you'd be able to? Kay

put me onto her, I can pass her e-address to you, and also the

international reps Patty and Bob Best (whom I've not had much

response from as yet...).

let me know,

cheers,

Joy

[Guest guest]

hi Randy,

do you want postal (hard copy) address, or fax. I think most here

won't take large emails, their spam filter would block it. I'd also

have to let them know to expect it so isn't deleted.

Probably fax or 'snail mail' would be more reliable?

pls let me know, so can arrange.

cheers,

Joy

[Guest guest]

hi all,

as another Australia,

yes I've found similar responses and attitudes that Theresa has met -

often putting it down to being in a small town & only 2 specialists

for a long time, now 3 (one is private only). So they can get away

saying things, hard to find 2nd opinion, & if do, the medics here are

a bit of a 'boys club', they all know each other, if a pt gets a 'bad

rep' it can make good treatment very rocky. Sounds provincial? It

is! At least now I do have a decent GP who communicates with my

specialist so am not encountering many of the obstacles I used to.

There's a high degree of conservatism, with attitudes that the Vest

may be something of a 'quack' treatment like magnetic mattresses (do

they work?) or going to Lourdes.... Anyone know if it's used much in

UK? I think there's a bit of bias too....

I've been in communication with Jane Hess, but couldn't accept a 6MB

download (have dial-up), but am organising to have info sent per

fax. Hopefully that way will work, will let y'all know!

cheers,

Joy

[Guest Tom Schultz]

We were able to purchase a Hill-Rom Vest system with only a few hours on it for $3000 that came with a warranty. There is a small company in the USA that specializes in these systems.

The name is Affordable Med Equipment.

They have a website under that name.

Shipping for the whole system was $ 350 and only took about 3 days.

There is also a new GST exemption for these systems so that they are duty-free.

The application for the exemption is about $ 50.

There is no way we could have bought one at the retail price. The gentleman that runs this company is Tobias. He has been very helpful and last year when we needed a larger vest garment for our son. We were able to get one for $ 200.

I just checked the website, and it looks like they have systems ranging from $ 1700 to $ 4000 depending on the number of hours on the air pulse unit.

Hope this helps.