Providers report hiccups with ResMed

YARMOUTH, Maine – In the wake of a big layoff and an urgent field safety notice, ResMed could be doing a better job communicating, its provider customers say. 

The company announced in October that it had reduced its global workforce by 5% to “accelerate profitable growth and power long-term success,” but it didn’t provide additional details on what positions were affected.  

“We were going to be a beta tester for them and then, two days later, no one was working for ResMed,” said Lee Guay, respiratory director for Fairview Home Medical Equipment in St. Paul, Minn. “That slowed things down a bit, and we didn’t know who our sales rep was for about a week, which is unacceptable. Maybe if they were a minor company but they aren’t.”  

The layoffs came just about a month before ResMed issued an urgent field safety notice to patients on Nov. 20, detailing a potential issue with its masks with magnets interacting with some implants or medical devices.  

Provider Jason Jones had already been trying, unsuccessfully, to track down the answer to a different question when the warning was published. 

“We never got the (original question) answered,” said Jones, president of Jones Medical Supply in Troy, Ala. “Then they sent out that field safety notice and said we needed to exchange the masks ASAP and contact our sales rep, but we had no sales rep. We called every number and emailed everybody (we could think of). Finally, someone responded. It was very aggravating.” 

With Philips issuing a similar warning about masks with magnets in 2022, provider Robert Beard wonders what took ResMed so long. 

“I’ve had concerns,” said Beard, owner of YD Home Medical in Livingston, Ala. “We have started implementing a program to have a form signed by patients using these masks to make sure they are aware of the possibility with this. We haven’t had a whole lot of patients call with concerns about it.” 

There are signs, however, that the hiccups that providers have been experiencing might be fading. 

“I’ve never had any real ResMed representation, as far as someone calling on us,” said Beard. “However, just last week I had a gentleman reach out to me and he has been very accommodating, trying to straighten out a few things. You never know with ResMed who you are going to get.” 

When reached for comment, ResMed reiterated that it reduced its workforce to focus on “key programs and initiatives that will accelerate profitable growth."