ANMC expands access to sleep studies and services for our people
April 17, 2018
The new Alaska Native Medical Center Sleep Center recently opened in the new Alaska Pacific Medical Building. The Sleep Center provides consultations, sleep studies and evaluation of sleep disorders, patient education, mask fitting, and PAP desensitization. We are pleased to offer this new service for ANMC patients to help get on the path to better sleep.
The Sleep Center offers health care services for adult patients and is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The Sleep Center is working toward providing pediatric sleep services in the future. Sleep Center physicians have backgrounds in neurology, internal medicine and pulmonology, and take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating people with sleep disorders. Registered sleep technologists are available day and night to perform diagnostic testing, patient education, mask fitting, PAP desensitization, and assist our providers in supporting patients. The Sleep Center also has a nurse case manager and two assistant case managers on staff.
There are more than 80 recognized sleep disorders, many of which overlap with, present as, or exacerbate other health issues. Better sleep means better health and is an integral part of well-being.
To be seen in the Sleep Center, the process starts with a referral from the patient’s provider. Once our assistant case managers receive a referral, they contact the patient to schedule a consult with a physician. The consult consists of review of any sleep-related issues as well as potential contributing health issues to determine the best course to further evaluate and treat any potential sleep disorder, including whether or not a sleep study is needed. When a sleep study is ordered, the patient is scheduled for overnight diagnostic testing.
Our 8-bed Sleep Lab features a private bathroom and shower, televisions with cable service, and a Sleep NumberÔ bed in every room — our sleep study rooms are similar in design and feel to a hotel room.
What can I expect during a sleep study?
When you are scheduled for a sleep study, you will arrive at the Sleep Center at 8 p.m. (we also offer daytime sleep studies for people who work nights). You will be greeted by technologists who will show you to your room for the evening. We suggest our patients wear loose-fitting, comfortable night clothes. Patients are also encouraged to bring personal comfort items such as a favorite blanket, pillow or even a stuffed animal.
Our night staff are all credentialed technologists. The technologists will apply various sensors to you to monitor electroencephalography (EEG, records the electrical signals of the brain), electrooculography (EOG, records eye movements), electromyography (EMG, records muscle tone and movement), respirations, respiratory effort, heart rate and rhythm, and oxygen levels in the blood.
Sleep studies are completely non-invasive. Some items are applied with patches, tape, or a special paste similar to Vaseline. Patients are scheduled with the clinic to follow-up on results after their sleep study. Our technologists like to joke that it is the easiest medical test you can have because all you have to do is go to sleep!
If you have questions about the services we provide, please call the Sleep Center at (907) 729-8141.