Frequently Asked Questions

If you think you may have trouble falling asleep in the lab the night of your appointment, you may bring an over-the-counter sleep aid or one that was dispensed to you by prescription from your physician.  The technician will direct you as to when to take it. Please DO NOT take it prior to arriving for your appointment, especially if you are driving yourself.
 

We ask that any patient staying for an overnight sleep study in our lab stay alone.  In the instance that the patient may require a caregiver or assistance, then we ask that the patient bring someone to assist them.  If the patient is a child, we also ask that at least one parent or guardian be present with the child throughout the night.  We do provide an foldaway bed for any other guest that may be staying with the patient that night. 
 

Please eat dinner before you arrive for your appointment.  Make sure that you shower well, and that your hair is clean and dry before you arrive. For men who shave, be sure to shave your face just prior to arrival. This excludes those individuals who have beards.  Please do not take any naps on the day of your study. Do not use hairspray, mousse, or gels in your hair. Please also do not have any caffeinated beverages or alcohol within 12 hours of your appointment time. 
 

You will need to bring pajamas or something comfortable to sleep in, as well as a packet of questionnaires that will be sent to you prior to your study for you to fill out. You may bring your favorite pillow and/ or blanket, if you choose, although we do provide sheets, blankets, pillows, and small hand towels. You may also want to bring clothes to go home in, and your toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, etc). Bring medications that you may need to take the night of your study, unless otherwise instructed. If you are taking insulin, please also bring a snack with you.

Yes, sleep studies are done 7 nights a week, excluding some major holidays, at either 9pm or 10pm.

Because we are a four bedroom facility, it is much easier for us to accomodate patients even on short notice.  A sleep study appointment can usually be scheduled within the week if necessary.  1 week notice is pretty standard for scheduling an appointment.
 

The cost per patient for a sleep study varies greatly from patient to patient depending on the type of plan they have. Most insurance plans do cover sleep studies, but the details of coverage depend on the individual plan.  For PPO patients, the patient responsibility is dependant on the percentage at which diagnostic laboratory services are covered and the plan deductible.  Our schedulers verify insurance coverage and benefits before every sleep study and are available to answer questions
related to your own plan.  Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine an exact dollar amount for a sleep study until after the claim has been submitted and reviewed by the insurance company. For HMO patients, a request for authorization must be submitted by your primary care physician (PCP). Once an authorization is issued by the insurance company, you must refer back to your plan details to verify the percentage at which the sleep study is covered by the insurance company. 
 

Both tests are approved & considered medically credible. The difference is, an attended study (in lab) is a bit more detailed than the unattended home study; however, our Board Certified Sleep Medicine Physician can diagnose you accurately with either one.  It is really whatever is most convenient for you.

There is a camera located in the room which can be referred to by the technicians in the instance that an electrode or sensor may have fallen off or to verify sleep position.  A referring physician may also request to review video data due to reported movement while the patient sleeps.  All video data is deleted after every study, unless otherwise requested by the referring physician. 

Yes and no. The technician is in the lab, at the tech station, the entire night to monitor the information that is being gathered from the electrodes and sensors. They review and assess the data as it appears on the computer screen to determine the appropriate course of action (begin CPAP titration, switch to BiPAP, etc) during your sleep study that night. The technician does not, however, sit in your room to watch you while you sleep.