Testimonials:

The service and staff of Cranbrook IRS have been excellent. I was able to keep working on light duty because of the oxygen and help that IRS provided. The service has been excellent.

I’ve heard it said that from the moment we’re born we are dying. One day the thought occurred to me that maybe I was dying just a little bit faster than I should be.

I began to realize that something wasn’t quite right when I started to wake up abruptly in the middle of the night with my heart beating wildly. I was terrified and I didn’t know why.

During the day it seemed that my memory was failing and it appeared that it was more than the usual age related or stress related memory lapses. I was irritable, I couldn’t process thoughts and ideas coherently, I had bags and dark circles under my eyes and I wanted to sleep, all the time.

I had the vague knowledge that I had been like this for a very long time. If I had known then what I know now my health and my quality of life these past few years might have been very different. Fortunately for me a friend suggested I call Independent Respiratory Services Inc. in Vernon, B.C. I met with a registered respiratory therapist at IRS. That initial meeting resulted in a discovery so profound that it’s not an exaggeration to say that my life wasn’t just changed for the better that day. My life was saved that day.

That was two years ago. I was treated for Sleep Apnea and over the past two years I have been privileged to get to know my therapist and the staff at IRS very well. The caring and professionalism that I have received by everyone at IRS has exceeded my every expectation. From the moment I walked in the door I knew that I was in a very special place. It lacked that cold, austere “clinical” feeling. The staff at IRS are friendly and personable. They are people who care about others. It shows. I know because I have experienced that care first hand. Everyone at IRS has always treated me with respect, compassion and dignity.

One person in particular at IRS impressed me as someone who epitomizes what a health care professional should be. When you encounter an individual who cares not because it’s their job but because it’s their calling, you consider yourself very fortunate. My therapist is someone who is called to care. I have been especially blessed to know and be treated by my therapist. Her thorough knowledge and ability to impart and convey that knowledge is evident. Through her easy going and kind nature she has been a significant factor in my motivation for continued treatment. My therapist possesses that unique ability to combine professionalism with compassion. I can honestly say that I know her not only as a trusted health care professional but that I am proud to be able to call her my friend as well.

I have a brand new life now. My treatment is ongoing and my health continues to improve. I am forever grateful to my therapist and IRS for everything that they have done for me. They have shown me that when you help a life it’s no small thing but when you save a life it’s everything.

Just a note to thank you and your associates for all the help with my transition to using a CPAP. You were most patient in helping me to understand how to use this machine. Everyone at your office was very professional and helpful. Again thanks.

The service at IRS was great, the therapist was understanding and efficient. The appointments were on time and I did not have to wait long to be seen.

I had trouble finding a mask that worked for me. My therapist was very patient and tried several different masks until we found the right one. After receiving my CPAP, I still got great care and service from IRS. The IRS staff were always friendly and happy to see me. I never felt I was imposing on them.

We have worked extensively with IRS for over a year and we believe the service they provide to be of the highest quality and consistency. They provide our clinic with prompt reports, timely care for our patients, and an excellent and comprehensive care delivery program. Furthermore, their extensive network of clinics benefits our practice greatly, as we are able to send patients to a location nearest to them and ensure a quality level of care regardless of location. I have no hesitation in recommending physician colleagues to IRS to test and treat patients they suspect have sleep apnea. They have been an indispensable asset to our practice.

I have worked closely with IRS over the past year, and I am very pleased with the services they provide. I regularly refer patients to IRS to test and be treated for sleep apnea. My patients tell me that their experiences with them are positive, and this is important to me. I strongly recommend that Physicians use IRS to test and treat patients they suspect have sleep apnea. IRS strives to find ways that they can add value to my practice, and this differentiates them from their competition.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a number of years ago and, on the advice of my doctor investigated the purchase a CPAP machine. Unfortunately, my first experience was NOT with Independent Respiratory Services and turned out to be a horrible and terrifying experience.

I suffer from claustrophobia and was immediately turned off by the masks the therapists suggested I use. In spite of my complaints and concerns, I was offered no alternative and I gave up on the whole thing. I looked into the use of an oral appliance but that too ended in failure and frustration.

Three years passed and I was still suffering the effects of the sleep apnea. It came to the point where it was affecting by personal and professional life which left me no alternative. I had to revisit the idea of a CPAP machine. This time IRS was recommended and everything was different.

I was welcomed by the therapist whose concern for my claustrophobia was paramount. Instead of a mask, I was offered nasal pillows. Instead of being frustrated, I was encouraged and supported by the therapist. It was enjoyable experience – not a struggle.

The trial period with a machine allowed me to familiarize myself, and even experiment with the equipment. The weekly visits with my therapist allowed me to ask questions and better understand my apnea.

It’s been nearly six months since I began my therapy through IRS and it has changed my life. I’m now to the point where I cannot sleep without my machine. For the first time in years I am sleeping… really sleeping. I feel better, I’m told I look better and my life in general is much improved.

Thank you IRS.