While SleepMedRx clinicians are experienced in managing a broad array of sleep disorders, sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and circadian rhythm disorders are just some of the examples of the types of disorders we handle.
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea. There are 2 main types of Sleep Apnea. The most common type is Obstructive Sleep Apnea which occurs when throat muscles relax causing the airway to collapse. The less common type, called Central Sleep Apnea, occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Symptoms of both types of sleep apnea can overlap. Common symptoms include loud snoring, pauses in breathing at night, daytime sleepiness, feeling poorly rested or having frequent awakenings, dry mouth, morning headaches, poor concentration and memory lapses.
SleepMedRx clinicians focus on providing individualized, quality care. You will be asked to fill out some medical history forms before your consult. During your consult, we will discuss your answers in more detail and may ask some additional questions. After your consultation, a firm diagnosis can often be made using a home sleep test that our clinicians can order for you. Results from this sleep test are interpreted by board certified sleep physicians and are available for you online. We encourage you to review results with our clinicians by scheduling another tele-consult where we can help you understand the results and next steps in more depth.
Our clinicians are able to provide guidance regarding your treatment options. Treatment options may include CPAP, a dental device, an Inspire implant, and weight loss. We would be happy to send the prescriptions to a CPAP supplier or a sleep dentist of your choice, or we can refer you to a qualified provider if needed. Your medical records and test results are available online. We are always available for additional online consultations for advice or questions. We strongly encourage you to follow up with your own primary care physician or sleep doctor to coordinate future and ongoing care. If we identify more complex sleep issues that cannot be adequately or safely handled online we will refer to a sleep physician in your area.
A sleep study is needed to make a definite diagnosis of sleep apnea. A home sleep test is a portable monitor that’s small and lightweight, it includes a belt around your mid-section (which is linked to the monitor by a wire), a clip to your finger, and an airflow sensor under your nose. With these simple signals a sleep physician can accurately diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. The sleep testing device is mailed to your home and you return it with a pre paid shipping label. Most recently we have introduced a completely disposable home sleep test that is the size of a small stamp that you wrap around your finger. No belts, no cannulas and no need to mail anything back! During consultation the sleep specialists can decide which home sleep test is the best fit for you. There is 24/7 customer service availability for any questions you may have regarding how to use the device properly. While the vast majority of patients with sleep apnea can be diagnosed with home sleep testing, more complex testing in a sleep center with a live technician and additional wires is sometimes needed. This is called polysomnography.
The consultation can range from $75-$125. This is a cash pay price and is not submitted through to insurance. You can often use your health saving accounts. The convenience, high quality and time saved are factors that make the service highly cost effective. Home sleep testing is performed by our partner Virtuox that participates with most major medical plans leaving you with just the responsibility for your co-pay. The maximum out of pocket for home sleep testing is $250 for self pay individuals and testing performed out of network.
www.sleepfoundation.org
www.aasm.org
www.sleepeducation.org
www.aadsm.org
Once online consultation is complete, testing and diagnosis are typically completed within 14 days
Yes, for commercial drivers we use a special chain of custody process for home sleep testing that is required by many transportation carriers
