Sleep Disorders Center Reaccredited

The Sleep Disorders Center at Carteret Health Care (CHC) recently received their five-year reaccreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), demonstrating CHC’s commitment to the highest quality of patient care.

Accreditation by the AASM is the gold standard by which the medical community and the public evaluate sleep medicine facilities. Through this re-certification, CHC represents an elite group of centers nationwide who have met the AASM’s rigorous standards in safety, patient evaluation and care, staffing and education, policies and procedures, quality improvement, facility and equipment, among other standards which incorporate the latest advances in sleep medicine.

The accreditation includes in-center polysomnography (PSG), multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT), maintenance of wakefulness testing (MWT) and home sleep apnea testing (HSAT). CHC has been offering Home sleep apnea testing for two years now and is a growing option for those qualified patients versus in-lab sleep testing.

Patients who have in-lab sleep testing, arrive just in time of their normal bedtime and are watched closely throughout the night. A specially trained technologist will attach monitoring The electrodes which will monitor a patient's brainwaves, respiratory effort, oxygen levels and heart rate during the night. These findings are analyzed to help determine the cause of a patient's sleeplessness.

Sleep Center patients will enjoy wood floors, comfortable beds with colorful quilts, granite counters, and a flat screen television to ease the transition.

By improving sleep related disorders, a person not only can get a good night's sleep, but improve their overall health as well.

“We are thrilled for this distinction. Our entire team is dedicated to the highest standards of care, where patients and their families can have confidence that they are receiving quality diagnostics,” says Pamela Rose, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services.

CHC’s sleep center focuses on identifying the physical or behavioral factors that affect sleep, from obstructed airways and breathing issues, to conditions including apnea and narcolepsy.

The Sleep Center opened in 2002 and currently is a four-bed center.

“Each room is meticulously decorated to add a touch of home for the patient,” said Sharon Harker, Sleep Center Supervisor. “The environment of the Sleep Center is designed to make the patient feel welcomed and comfortable. Our goal is to make people feel like they are in a home-like setting and not at a hospital or undergoing medical tests.”

The risk factors of untreated sleep disorders can also be staggering. Harker notes that snoring, memory loss, depression, sexual issues, high blood pressure, even cardiac episodes can be directly related to sleep disorders.

“Treatment can be life changing, not just affecting the quality of the life of the patient, but for the family as well,” Harker said. “Sleep apnea, for example, can cause cardiac arrest, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity – there’s a snowball effect that occurs. But once it has been identified and treated, many patients see signs of improvement in many areas, not just in their ability to get a good night’s sleep.”

Common signs of a sleep disorder include:

• Frequent or loud snoring
• Excessive daytime tiredness
• Memory or learning problems
• Irritability
• Depression
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Trouble concentrating

For more information on Carteret Health Care, visit the hospital’s website at www.CarteretHealth.org or call the Sleep Center at 252-499-6615.