December 11, 2024 |
Photo – Bigfoot file photo
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County is now offering sleep studies to diagnose sleep related illnesses.
In October, Memorial Hospital partnered with Rural Sleep Solutions to perform inpatient and at home sleep studies here in Carbon County. Respiratory Therapy and Sleep Lab Supervisor Kristen Dirck explained that the testing is used to diagnose and treat sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a disorder where a person’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Dirck said excessive snoring and feeling tired throughout the day are signs that you may be suffering from sleep apnea.
Additionally, Dirck said waking up with a headache may be a sign of hypoxia, meaning that your brain isn’t receiving enough oxygen while you’re sleeping, which is another symptom of sleep apnea.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, Dirck recommends seeing your general physician, as a doctor’s referral is needed for Memorial Hospital to perform a sleep study. After your medical insurance company approves the procedure, the sleep lab supervisor will schedule a time to conduct the testing.
Dirck explained that sleep study patients will spend the night alone in a specially prepared hospital room while a technician remotely monitors their breathing patterns.
Dirck said if a patient is shown to have sleep apnea, they will be asked to spend another night at Memorial Hospital. This time, the patient will use a CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, machine to see if it helps them get a quality night’s sleep.
Patients may opt to perform a sleep study in their own homes. However, Dirck said the testing will not be as thorough as what is done in the hospital. Additionally, an inpatient study may still be required.
Dirck said all sleep tests are overseen by a board-certified sleep physician, ensuring patients at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County receive the same quality of care found in larger hospitals, such as those in Cheyenne and Denver.
Out-of-pocket, an at-home sleep study costs approximately $600. Inpatient testing is roughly $5,700 and an additional night of testing to fine tune the CPAP machine costs an additional $6,200. Dirck said these prices are comparable to those at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie. By having the procedure done in Rawlins, Carbon County patients may save money on lodging and transportation.
Dirck said Medicare typically covers 100% of the cost of a sleep study.
The sleep lab supervisor said many patients don’t realize they are suffering from sleep apnea and are often pleasantly surprised by how much better they sleep with a CPAP machine.
Consult your physician if you believe you have sleep apnea. With a doctor’s referral, you may have a sleep study performed at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
