Asset life span in a government funded CPAP device program.

Area of Science:

• Medical device management
• Respiratory therapy
• Public health programs

Background:

• Government-provided continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices are crucial for managing sleep disorders.
• Effective asset management is essential for the sustainability of long-term loan programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the lifespan of devices within a government-funded long-term CPAP device loan program.
• To inform asset management strategies for public health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 9,222 CPAP devices from the Queensland Health Sleep Disorders program (data since 1995).
• Analysis of device hours of use and age at end-of-life.
• Survival analysis comparing device models and reasons for failure.

Main Results:

• Median device lifespan was 15,178 hours (12.4 years).
• 5% of devices failed within 3 years, 13% within 5 years.
• Device end-of-life reasons varied significantly by model (e.g., manufacturer recall, noise, faulty buttons).

Conclusions:

• Government CPAP loan programs can anticipate an average asset lifespan of 12.4 years.
• Asset management plans must account for early equipment failures, which differ between models.
• Negotiating appropriate warranty periods with manufacturers is recommended to cover early device failures.