Letter from the Editor

Languishing in Limbo

Uncertainty about an event can be more damaging to an individual’s health than the event itself, according to a new study.

• By Linda Kossoff
• Mar 01, 2010

A recent report that appeared on one of my favorite websites, sciencedaily. com, caught my eye. It was called “Future Angst? Brain Scans Show Uncertainty Fuels Anxiety” and it discussed the results of a study performed by Jack Nitschke, a brain researcher and professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. According to the study, our brains’ emotional centers have a much harder time dealing with negative events when we are not completely sure if and how they’re going to unfold. In short, uncertainty about an event can be more damaging to an individual’s health than the event itself. And if you’ve ever taken an 8-year-old to the doctor to get a booster shot, you’ll probably agree.

Needless to say, Nitschke’s timing in conducting this study was not accidental. The past 18 months have brought more uncertainty to this country’s citizens than any in recent memory. This has been especially true in our little corner of the world, where every day seems to bring a new potential challenge to HME providers, whether you’re waiting to hear about the future of the competitive bidding program or receiving the latest instructions from CMS on how to meet the ever-rising bar for reimbursement.

You’ve probably noticed that people have different ways of dealing with pervasive uncertainty. There are those who get philosophical—I call these the “que sera, sera folks”—and find peace of mind that way. There are those who distract themselves by getting very busy. And there are those who put their fingers in their ears and sing, “La la la la la!” really loudly. Here at RSM, our job is to help relieve some of your uncertainty by providing information. It may not always be the news you want to hear, but hopefully it is the information you need to know.

In this issue, you’ll find several examples in which we try to resolve some of your unanswered questions. Our cover story this month, “Have Oxygen, Will Travel” sheds some light on what we can expect in the coming years concerning the use of portable oxygen, which may help you determine your plans regarding this sector of the industry. In this month’s Respiratory Solutions column, RSM Editorial Advisory Board member Dick Fields offers some excellent business strategies to help HME providers regain some control over their futures. Also in this issue, our latest product comparison chart on CPAPs, bi-levels and AutoPAPs will help clarify some of the differences between leading products for the growing sleep market.

You’ll also see the results of our Provider Purchasing Plans Survey, which offers a revealing peek into respiratory providers’ level of uncertainty in today’s unpredictable business climate: When asked about your own product purchasing plans for 2010, 50 percent of you responded that you would either not make any changes in your purchasing habits, or would take a “wait and see” approach.

Here’s hoping that 2010 brings all of us to a level of greater stability and certainty. In the meantime, we will continue to do our best to keep you on solid footing, and we hope that you’ll continue to tell us how we can help you most effectively. Because as Nitschke’s study so clearly suggests, we human beings function better when we know what to expect.

This article originally appeared in the Respiratory & Sleep Management March 2010 issue of HME Business.