Traditionally, the evaluation of sleep disorders has required an overnight stay in a sleep laboratory. Technicians connect the patient to monitors, which the patient must wear as he or she attempts to sleep. Lately, however, a less costly and more convenient test has allowed sleep doctors to diagnose patients without an overnight stay.
Home sleep tests use a portable wireless device that attaches to the body via a belt. Connected to an air flow sensor that rests under the patient's nose, the device also includes a clip that attaches to the finger. This equipment measures the patient's oxygen saturation and air flow as well as the effort of the body's breathing apparatus during sleep. Now approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whose determinations frequently drive private insurers' decisions, these wireless devices can help physicians diagnose and subsequently treat obstructive sleep apnea and other serious conditions.