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What to expect during a sleep study at St. Anthony's Sleep Center
Why go weeks, months or even years without a good night’s rest? There are so many solutions available once you are properly diagnosed.
If you think you have a chronic sleep problem, take the next step. You need a physician referral to schedule a sleep study or you can call St. Anthony’s Sleep Center for a referral to a sleep specialist. The study is typically covered by insurance, including Medicare.
St. Anthony’s Medical Center has the region’s only hospital-based Sleep Center accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Staffed by 16 respiratory therapists and registered sleep technologists and overseen by a board-certified sleep specialist, the Center is located in a serene area on campus and contains 10 private rooms with bathrooms and showers. More than 2,000 sleep studies are scheduled annually.
“We created a homelike environment for sleep study patients so that they feel as comfortable as possible,” says Center director Don Schuh. “Each room is equipped with a queen-sized bed with a premium mattress, padded armchairs and ottomans, satellite television and blackout curtains.”
Once patients are shown to their rooms, technologists place miniature sensors in multiple areas to monitor body movements, breathing, muscle tension, heart rate, eye movements and brain wave activity. Video cameras are used to document body position throughout the night. Sound also is recorded to register frequency and volume of snoring.
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Take a virtual tour of St. Anthony's Sleep Center |
“It sounds intimidating, but there are no needles involved and the sensors are quite small,” says Schuh. “People really do get used to the sensors and go to sleep. They also can get up, walk around or sit in a chair until they go to bed, without removing any of the sensors.”
A sleep study to diagnose most sleep disorders lasts one night. Longer time frames are needed to evaluate those suspected of narcolepsy. Treatment may be administered the first night; however, a second night of treatment and evaluation is often necessary. Information is sent to the sleep specialist, who then makes treatment recommendations to the referring physician. Because of a strong commitment to patient education, the Center boasts a compliance rate of more than 90 percent for treatment recommendations, way above the estimated 50 percent compliance rate in non-accredited sleep labs.
“Why go weeks, months or even years without a good night’s rest?” asks Schuh. “There are so many solutions available once you are properly diagnosed.”
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit find a physician online.
At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization
— and your first choice for health care services.
