DOT-can my primary care physician write letter

[BDOUG23]

Can my primary care physician look at the report from my machine and see that I am compliant and write a letter saying I am compliant? Or does it have to be sleep dr? Last year I missed 7 months at work due to pinched nerve and herniated disks. I owed the sleep dr $$$ and now they won't take me anymore even if I pay them. So can my DR who is an MD, CAN HE WRITE THE LETTER SAYING I AM COMPLIANT?

[Julie]

I'm sure he can... especially as there's no actual 'sleep doctor' specialty, only regular doctors who have e.g. taken a course, fallen into it as a subspecialty of their other work (like pulmonology, neurology, etc.), but whether or not it needs to be backed up with documentation .... you'd probably have to ask the DOT (or most likely your doctor will know anyhow).

I think your primary doc can probably sign off on everything (not just in this case) for you at any time - he refers you to a specialist for a specific problem, the specialist reports back to him what's what, and he then coordinates the results and recommendations with the rest of your med story because he's got it all and would know e.g. if a recommendation would be counterproductive because you're on some meds for other things... he's the #1 authority for you.

[ycartf]

I am very curious to find out what your experience was with this. I am also looking into whether a GP can write me a compliance report for my CDL. The last time I was at the sleep Dr for a compliance report (a couple years ago as I have not needed a medical card again until now), they said that they were "barely able" to get the data off of my Respironics M series cards (I use one at work with 24 hour shifts and one at home) and that I should look into getting new machines. I think this is a ploy to get you to buy new machines through "them" and I see no need when my CPAP units work fine, display my AHI for me to keep an eye on, etc. My GP could look at the nights used within the last 30 days and, between both machines, and see I use them every night. I was even thinking of asking a local ER doctor that I have known since he taught my paramedic classes about 23 years ago.

[#1Guest]

My GP could look at the nights used within the last 30 days and, between both machines, and see I use them every night.

That is exactly right, anyone who is interested could look right in the machine display. There was a day when cpaps didn't have cards.

You should be able to contact DOT to get exactly what info they want - or Google it. Yes any licensed doc should be able to document your usage and benefit.

[Julie]

You're an idiot, but in defense of this country, anyone can be certified as anything (here or the US) but it doesn't mean there's a new 'specialty' in med school, only different courses in sleep med. That may be just too hard for you to grasp, so sorry.

To YCARTF - you're replying to a 3 yr old note written by someone no longer around... start a new thread.

[Julie]

They are ALL graduates of medical schools, but in established specialties, none of which is 'sleep medicine' as such, but something studied as a side interest or subspecialty of another field like pulmonology, neurology, etc.