For patients who are not full face mask users, clinicians must decide between nasal and pillow. The Nano could bridge this gap, making the decision a bit easier. “We know that non-compliance is driven by mask discomfort, ” says Ellis, “so we are always looking to push the boundaries of innovation in mask performance and comfort to encourage better compliance.”
Craving a solution that “took the positive attributes from a pillows product, and from a nasal product, ” ResMed designers came up with the Nano, launched in September 2013 in the U.S. The results of an initial controlled product launch have been “exceptionally positive,” and Ellis plans to buoy the mask’s exposure during the Medtrade show, scheduled for Oct 7-0, 2013, in Orlando, Fla.
For the past three months in Canada, sleep patients have already benefitted from the Nano. “Customers like that we are delivering on the promise,” says Ellis. “The Nano is making the decision easier for clinicians dealing with patients who don’t need a full face mask.”
Ellis looks forward to the exposure at Medtrade where he can see customers face to face and “point them toward solutions that can help them through challenging times.” And while the climate for sleep physicians and the sleep labs/DMEs they work with has been better, the market potential is still enormous.
“The lack of awareness around the benefits of CPAP therapy presents a big opportunity. “The potential pool of patients out there is really just getting started. Compliance in our industry presents a number of challenges, however, the technology available to both clinicians and patients gets better every day.” the technology gets better every day.”
If CPAP is not the option, Ellis hopes physicians will encourage patients to explore other alternatives to therapy. One such option is an oral appliance, a modality that ResMed has invested in with its Narval CC™, a custom mandibular repositioning device (MRD).
“We stand behind the fact that CPAP is the gold standard in therapy, but if the alternative is non compliance, we will point patients in the direction where they can get treatment, ” stresses Ellis. “I think competition is healthy. It keeps us motivated and driven, and we are always striving to continue our leadership in the market place.”
Swift FX Nano At a Glance
The Swift FX Nano features a low-profile nasal cushion and minimal headgear. The small and lightweight mask is designed to encourage ongoing compliance. The soft nasal cushion provides natural breathing comfort and the mask does not require a rigid frame or forehead support. The new ball joint elbow is flexible and moves with patients while they sleep. A SoftEdge™ fabric backstrap has simple-to-use fasteners for easy adjustment. Optional soft wraps are also provided for extra comfort.
