Brookings Health Offers At-Home Sleep Studies
- February 14, 2019
Brookings Health System has expanded its sleep diagnostics services by offering at-home sleep studies.
“Technology advances in polysomnography allow us to now issue equipment to patients for in-home use to conduct sleep studies for obstructive sleep apnea, the most common sleep disorder,” said Respiratory Care Director Lynne Thompson.
Patients who have a physician’s referral for an at-home sleep study will pick up a portable monitoring system from Brookings Health System’s Sleep Diagnostics Facility. Following step-by-step instructions, the patient will place two belts around their midsection, a clip on their finger and an air sensor on their nose prior to going to sleep. The patient will wear the monitoring system while sleeping in their own bed and return the monitor the next day to Brookings Health’s Sleep Diagnostics Facility. Polysomnographers will download the patient’s data and results will be sent to the patient’s physician.
“A big advantage to the patient is that the test is performed in their own bed and in familiar surroundings, reducing first night effect, a condition in which the sleep testing equipment and environment affects the patient’s sleep quality,” said Thompson.
Other advantages of in-home sleep tests include convenience for patients who are home-bound, elderly or require specialized care from a nurse or family member overnight. In addition, the cost is significantly less than an in-lab sleep study and is typically covered by insurance.
Depending on the results from the in-home sleep study, a patient’s physician may either prescribe assistive sleep devices or recommend the patient for further in-lab sleep testing.
“An at-home sleep study measures heart rate, airflow, movement in the chest and abdomen, time spent snoring and sleep position,” said Thompson. “An in-lab study measures all of those plus brain waves, sleep time and leg movements. As such, an in-lab study can give more comprehensive information for diagnoses such as complex sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.”
Brookings Health System provides in-lab sleep testing for patients 16 years of age and older. Daytime sleep studies are also available for those patients who work overnight shifts. Individuals interested in either an in-home or in-lab sleep study at Brookings Health System should speak with their physician to request a referral. More information can be found at www.brookingshealth.org/SleepLab.
About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes the 49-bed Brookings Hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgical and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.