What is Home Sleep Testing?
A home sleep test is a sleep test taken in the comfort of your own home. A home sleep test is done when a patient is suffering from symptoms of sleep apnea and needs to undergo a sleep study to diagnose sleep apnea. However, rather than going to a sleep lab to get the test done, you take the sleep test at home in the comfort of your own bed. It is a one-night test that requires at least a minimum of four hours of sleep.
How do I benefit from a home sleep test?
Home sleep studies are beneficial for those who experience the common symptoms of sleep apnea such as, snoring, gasping for air or choking during sleep, dry mouth, daytime fatigue, excessive sleepiness, etc. If you experience these symptoms, you are able to take the sleep test in your own home. In addition, it’s convenient for patients who are home-bound and do not have transportation to sleep overnight at a sleep center. Lastly, it’s much cheaper. The cost of a home sleep test is only a fraction of the cost for an in-lab study.
Is the home sleep test covered by medical insurance?
Most medical insurances cover the in-home sleep test. The insurance usually prefer home sleep tests rather than the in-lab sleep studies because the in-lab sleep study costs more. If you do not have insurance or it is not covered by your insurance company, the self-pay rate for the home sleep test is $250.
What does a Home Sleep Test measure?
The device used for the home sleep test has three sensors: a small nasal cannula to measure airflow, an adjustable belt to measure respiratory effort and a finger sensor to measure the oxygen saturation in the blood. It also has a built-in body position sensor that provides seven channels of data (body position, pressure flow, snore, respiratory effort, SpO2, pleth, and pulse rate). A home sleep test is effective at helping to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea which is the most common type of sleep disorder.
How do I receive the home sleep test?
Once we receive the order from your physician, our team will call you to confirm your demographic information. We will inform you of your insurance coverage, confirm your shipping address, and we will ship the unit directly to you! Once you receive the package, you will complete the test overnight and ship it back to us with the return label that is provided. It’s that easy!
When do I receive my results?
Once we receive the device from you, our sleep technicians will download the data. Our sleep medicine board certified physicians will interpret your data and generate a report within 24-48 hours. Once the results are completed our medical records department will send the results directly to your ordering physician.
My results show an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). What does that mean?
The AHI is the number of apneas or hypopneas recorded during the study per hour of sleep. It accounts for the number of pauses in your breathing during sleep. The AHI and the oxygen desaturation levels are used to assess the severity of the obstructive sleep apnea. In order to count in the AHI these pauses in breathing must last for 10 seconds and be associated with a decrease in the oxygen levels of the blood or cause an awakening called an arousal. If you have further questions about what your AHI means, please speak with your physician.
Still have questions that have not been answered on our blogs? You can contact us at (888) 425-8988 or email our team at info@homesleepllc.com.
