AirLiquide / Tandem Pump Replacement

[martindt1606]

Further to earlier posts re which pump to go for on completion of 4 years on a pump and a post to assist others to connect the new pump to the Dexcom G6 i have a "less positive" post.

Two weeks into using my second Tandem Pump, the pump switched off and having gone through the plug it in for an hour and it will restart recovery (i did this at least once with the old pump) it failed to restart. AirLiquide said that they would arrange to send out a replacement and i am currently back using my original pump.

The replacement pump has just arrived and they have replaced a brand new pump with a refurbishment. Having talked to customer support this would appear to be in line with the warranty. If i wanted a new pump i could claim on my home insurance (not sure they would cover a software / hardware issue). If i had purchased a new iphone and used it for 2 weeks before it ground to a halt I would expect a new phone......unfortunately the contract isn't mine.

Before I contact the clinic, thought I would canvas opinion: is it unreasonable to expect new for new replacement within such a short time span?

I guess I could use this when i next enter my "Happy Place" and consider whether a refurb may actually be better than a new pump....

 

[Inka]

I’d have expected a new pump quite frankly @martindt1606 It’s not your fault yours was faulty. Could you be a ‘squeaky wheel’ and pester them a bit/lay it on thick? Your iPhone comparison is right. You were ‘sold’ something faulty and that should be replaced with a new item. Two weeks is nothing.

 

[barrym]

I'd ask them why they hadn't sent a refurb one out originally if they consider it suitable replacement for a NEW pump.

Edit: change phone to pump!

 

[trophywench]

Eh? Did anyone mention the makers warranty to you before you went for the Tslim one? To my mind the warranty agreement is with the NHS so therefore the NHS should surely have made it known to you when offering the choice of whichever pumps they offered you - especially if the thing needed replacing through no fault of your own.

 

[martindt1606]

Asked Tandem (via linkedin) if they thought a refurbished Pump should be sent out (by AirLiquide) instead of a new pump given the (lack of) age of the pump and they replied with a very detailed refurbishment specification which almost had me believing a refurb may actually be better than new.
Raised the question with Air Liquide Diabetes via Twitter - absolutely no reply.
Talked to the senior nurse at the pump clinic....was definitely not surprised and said the refurbished pumps were as good as new, the warranty period continued, and if there were any issues in the next 4 years there wouldn't be an issue replacing the pump again.
As the contract is with NHS Procurement and if they agreed refurbishment no matter the age of the pump then there is not much I can do but accept the pump. Doesn't seem like the best deal the NHS could have made...........even if the NHS undertook significant quality control before agreeing the refurbishment policy

 

[rebrascora]

In some respects I like the environmental aspect of refurbing the pumps, but it kind of makes you wonder how many failures they have if they consistently send out refurbished pumps rather than new ones. Or are these 4 yr old refurbished pumps rather than failed and fixed ones? I doubt you can answer that.
It does seem a bit uncomfortable that this is a medical device which has been worn by someone else. I am not OCD at all about cleanliness but I have a feeling I would not be happy about a situation like this either. Happy to put a refurbished part on my car but something as personal as an insulin pump just seems weird.

 

[helli]

My first pump had a couple of failures and was replaced with a refurbed option each time.
I confess neither failure was as earlier as the OP but in my mind as long as the warranty was valid, I was happy to take it.
Regrading cleanliness, the pump it not the part that goes into my body. It needs to be as clean as a new/refurbed phone. A tuby pump would sit in your pocket.

 

[helli]

Hmmm... if my pump was replaced a couple of times, I suppose it was no longer my first pump 🙄

 

[Inka]

In some respects I like the environmental aspect of refurbing the pumps, but it kind of makes you wonder how many failures they have if they consistently send out refurbished pumps rather than new ones. Or are these 4 yr old refurbished pumps rather than failed and fixed ones? I doubt you can answer that.
It does seem a bit uncomfortable that this is a medical device which has been worn by someone else. I am not OCD at all about cleanliness but I have a feeling I would not be happy about a situation like this either. Happy to put a refurbished part on my car but something as personal as an insulin pump just seems weird.

It would seem weird to me too @rebrascora Fortunately, I only had one pump issue many years ago and was immediately sent a new pump no questions asked. For me, it’s the cleanliness/thought of it, but also I just don’t like the idea of using a refurbished medical device. Maybe that’s irrational of me, but there we are! I want to be totally at ease with my pump.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have only ever had pump replacements from Medtronic.

I can’t say I can be sure they were new I think I thooght they were… but it is possible that they were refurbs I suppose?

What do you think are the distinguishing features (unless showing obvious signs of wear?

 

[Lucyr]

The replacement pump has just arrived and they have replaced a brand new pump with a refurbishment. Having talked to customer support this would appear to be in line with the warranty.

I don’t really understand what your problem is? The faulty pump has been replaced with one that works, and if that one breaks it will also be replaced. You haven’t had to pay for either of them, what’s actually the problem?

 

[martindt1606]

I have only ever had pump replacements from Medtronic.

I can’t say I can be sure they were new I think I thooght they were… but it is possible that they were refurbs I suppose?

What do you think are the distinguishing features (unless showing obvious signs of wear?

this is the reply from Tandem and based on the work that goes into a refurb it looks like it should be as good as (if not better) than a new one:

 

[rebrascora]

Knowing that I would be a lot happier to use it. Why did it take so long for the relevant parties to offer this reassurance?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

this is the reply from Tandem and based on the work that goes into a refurb it looks like it should be as good as (if not better) than a new one:

I think they’d have their work cut out refurbing mine 😱

It hasn’t even got a USB door any more. And there’s an increasing amount of gunk under the screen protector top-right

 

[martindt1606]

I think they’d have their work cut out refurbing mine 😱

It hasn’t even got a USB door any more. And there’s an increasing amount of gunk under the screen protector top-right

You can get replacement USB doors - I'm sure I didn't have to pay for a replacement, mind you that would have been a couple of years ago....

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

You can get replacement USB doors - I'm sure I didn't have to pay for a replacement, mind you that would have been a couple of years ago....

I think when I looked they were more than I cared to pay. And mine is in a case these days.