Home Sleep Studies
On March 14, 2008, the CMS (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
came out with a ruling which dramatically changes the
landscape of this industry. What they said is that no longer will
you need to go to a hospital-based or a facility-based sleep lab in
order to be diagnosed, but rather you will be able to be diagnosed
at home using a home device. CMS said that this decision would
affect up to 4 million people covered by Medicare who suffer from
some form of sleep apnea.
A home take-home test is about 35% cheaper to administer and also
allows the patient the comfort of sleeping in his/her own bed.
However, with portable tests, proper interpretation of the data is
still needed. It is very important that qualified personnel (sleep
technicians) analyze the data. Also, the data is more likely to be
accurate with people who have moderate to severe sleep apnea and no
other medical conditions. Otherwise, false positives are possible.
Consequently, home testing is not likely to cut out the sleep lab
entirely, nor should it.
A home sleep test involves the use of a portable monitoring system
that is small enough for you to use at home. The system consist of a
small recording device, sensors, belts and related cables and
accessories. A typical home sleep test does not detect other sleep
disorders such as restless legs syndrome. Having another sleep
disorder or major medical problem also may affect the results of a
home sleep test.
An overnight sleep study at a sleep disorders center is useful for
detecting many other sleep disorders. It also remains effective even
if you have multiple medical problems or sleep disorders. The
results of an overnight sleep study give your doctor the most
detailed information about your sleep. Doctors call this study a
polysomnogram. It charts your brain waves, heartbeat, and breathing
as you sleep. It also records your eye and leg movements as well as
muscle tension. Sensors are placed on your head, face, chest and
legs. They send tiny electrical signals to a computer. A clip will
also be placed on your finger to note changes in the level of oxygen
in your blood. The clip monitors the color of your blood. As blood
loses oxygen, it turns from red to blue.
A home sleep test can be convenient, but it may not be the best
option for you. Many sleep centers are accredited by the American
Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The AASM sets strict standards for
centers to maintain. This is to make sure that patients with sleep
disorders get the highest level of care. In these centers, a
board-certified sleep specialist always reviews the results of a
sleep study.
According to the website cpapandmore.com...
Find out if a sleep study is
right for you by answering these questions:
-
Do you think you have a snoring problem?
-
Has someone told you that you snore almost every
night?
-
Has someone complained about your loud snoring?
-
Do you tend to feel tired, even after a full nights
sleep?
-
Do you fight sleepiness during your normal daytime
routine?
-
Has anyone ever told you that you seem unusually
sleepy?
-
Are you overweight?
-
Has anyone ever told you that you stop breathing in
you sleep?
-
Are you free of other sleep disorders?
-
Are you free of other medical problems that may
affect your sleep?
If your answer to most or all of these questions is
“Yes,” then you may be a good candidate for a home
sleep test. Answering “NO,” to many of these questions
indicated that an overnight sleep study at a sleep lab may
be more appropriate for you.
