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There are currently as many as 30 million Americans suffering from undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Left untreated, OSA can cause multiple health complications including migraines, inability to focus or concentrate, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even increases the risk of death. A home sleep apnea test can be the solution.
Sleep Care online simplifies the process of diagnosing and treating obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. Using an innovative telehealth platform, patients can complete sleep studies in the comfort of their own bed, meet with healthcare providers in a one-on-one consult, receive a prescription, and even begin PAP therapy—all without visiting a doctor’s office. No more delays waiting on insurance for approvals, no finding sleepless nights hooked up to monitors in a sleep clinic, no copays, and no hidden fees.
How Does an At-Home Sleep Apnea (HSAT) Test Work?
Step 1: Purchase our Complete Care package and schedule a 10-minute telehealth visit with a healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms, upcoming sleep study, test results, and treatment options.
Step 2: A reliable and disposable home sleep apnea test, WatchPAT ONE E, is mailed to your home to be completed at your convenience.
Step 3: A physician analyzes the sleep data and provides a prescription if needed.
Step 4: Schedule an optional follow-up appointment (additional fee applies).
Step 5: We connect you to sleep experts who can offer customized sleep therapy options, assistance in equipment purchase, and initial set-up.
“It’s easy to use and highly accurate! Multiple studies have shown that, in properly selected patients, home testing provides similar outcomes, including accurate diagnosis and successful treatment,” said Lawrence Epstein, MD. “Home sleep apnea tests allow detection of sleep-related breathing problems while sleeping in your own bed. Advances in technology now allow people concerned they may have the common sleep disorder obstructive sleep apnea to get tested with a high degree of accuracy while avoiding an overnight stay in a sleep laboratory.”
Click here for more information on how to diagnose sleep apnea at home.
The Traditional Way of Diagnosing Sleep Apnea (Polysomnography)
The only way to confirm a diagnosis of sleep apnea is to complete a sleep study. A sleep study is a non-invasive test that allows doctors to track activity in your brain and body as you sleep.
Traditionally, sleep tests were only completed overnight in a lab setting based in either hospitals or sleep clinics. The process for these in-lab tests has typically been a pain point for most people. Patients must make an appointment based on availability, make alternative childcare or pet care plans, pack their bags, and arrive at a clinic for one or potentially two nights before bedtime. Outside of sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, a sleep technician will place various monitors and nodes on your head and body. These sensors monitor different sleep stages and identify disruptions in their sleep patterns. Additionally, while you attempt to sleep, a technician will be watching you to make sure all the information is transmitted correctly.
The data will then be sent to a doctor for evaluation. Two weeks later, the patient will be called in to discuss the results.
Are At-Home Sleep Apnea Tests Accurate?
After years of no alternative option, the American Association of Sleep Medicine released a statement in October 2017 approving the use of home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) as an appropriate clinical measure in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea.1
“A home sleep apnea test provides valuable information for the diagnostic assessment of certain patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea,” said AASM President Dr. Ilene Rosen in a press release.1 “However, the test is only one component of a comprehensive sleep evaluation, and a sleep medicine practitioner needs to be involved in reviewing and interpreting the raw data from the device.”
AASM guidelines For HSAT Test include:
- The need for a home sleep apnea test must be based on a patient’s medical history and a face-to-face examination by a physician, either in-person or via telemedicine.
- The physician orders an HSAT to diagnose OSA.
- Raw data from the HSAT must be reviewed or interpreted by a sleep practitioner.
What are the Benefits of a Sleep Apnea Test at Home or HSAT?
Convenient.
Talk to a healthcare provider during a 10-minute telehealth appointment to discuss your symptoms and more. The disposable home sleep apnea test is mailed out the next day and will arrive at your home to use on a night you choose.
Comfort.
The home sleep apnea test is preferable because you don’t have to spend a night in an unfamiliar room in a sleep lab. Instead, you can sleep in your own bed, which in turn, can provide more accurate results.
Affordable.
At-home sleep apnea test is more affordable because it is often covered by insurance and is less costly than in-lab tests.
Drawback Of Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT)
HSAT Test Are Not Detail Oriented
The Home Sleep Apnea test analyses the breathing but not the quality of sleep, so the test is really designed to detect the presence of OSA.
HSAT Test Works Perfectly At The Time Of Serious Conditions
The home sleep apnea test is not designed to detect other sleep conditions including central sleep apnea.
HSAT Test Might Not Be The Right Fit For You
The test might not prove to be ideal for patients with co-mobilities like hypoventilation, lung disease, heart failure, and restless leg syndrome. Instead, Polysomnography may be the right fit for these patients.
Polysomnography vs. Sleep Apnea Test at Home
Traditionally, sleep study tests are conducted overnight in sleep clinics. After visiting a physician for a referral to a sleep study, a patient schedules an appointment at a nearby clinic, based on availability. The patient must then make arrangements for alternative child/pet care, pack an overnight bag, and arrive at the clinic in the evening. They will be set up in a bed, hooked up to monitors and nodes, and asked to sleep while technicians watch and monitor sleep throughout the night. The equipment is designed to capture data on body movement, snoring, breathing, and heart rates.
Today, home sleep studies are a more convenient option. In these cases, patients who believe they have a sleep disorder can complete an online health questionnaire and can schedule a telehealth appointment with one of Sleep Care Online’s healthcare providers. The disposable sleep apnea test is mailed to your home and completed at your convenience. Results are available the next morning via the cloud, and a sleep physician will review your study results, and write a prescription for CPAP therapy if warranted.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Polysomnography vs. Home Sleep Apnea Test
| Traditional Sleep Apnea Test | Home Sleep Apnea Test | |
| Sleep Clinic Visit Required | Yes | No |
| Standard Appointment Time | Based on availability in the area. Can be up to 3 Months | 0 Days |
| Sleep Data Collection Method | The piece of equipment will capture data on body movement, snoring, breathing, and heart rate | The system consists of a sensor placed on the fingertip and cloud-based analytics software. The sensor acquires an accelerometer and photoplethysmographic data |
| Collect data while sleeping at Home (i.e. while you are in routine sleep) | No | Yes |
| Sleep Data Reviewed By a Doctor | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Doctor Consultation | Yes | Yes |
| Doctor Prescriptions | Yes | Yes |
| Prescription Valid | Yes | Yes |
| FDA Approved | Yes | Yes |
| Meet DOT Requirements | Yes | Yes |
| Support | Limited | Unlimited |
| Average Cost | $4,600 | $219 |
What are the Best Practices for Accurate Sleep Apnea test Results at Home?
The best home apnea sleep test packages include:
- Initial physician referral for a home sleep apnea test to abide by AASM regulations
- A non-invasive, disposable testing device, WatchPAT ONE E, for sleep apnea at home on your own schedule
- Upfront telehealth visits with a healthcare provider to review your systems, upcoming sleep study, test results, and treatment options
- Prescription for PAP therapy, if warranted
With Sleep Care online’s Complete Care package, you get all of the above plus:
- Customized therapy options from sleep experts
- Quality sleep therapy equipment with fast and easy fulfillment
Get Sleep Care online’s Complete Care package today!