Qualifying the Healthcare Provider
Are you licensed medical doctor?
Do you have any professional accreditation from your Association?
-
If you are in the search for a sleep specialist or sleep center, it is important to ask about their medical status as health care providers.
-
It is quite common that not all licensed sleep specialists practice at a licensed sleep center and likewise.
-
From another hand, not all licensed sleep centers employ licensed sleep doctors.
-
With the reference to American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) we can be assured that accreditation means that the sleep facility meets the highest standards for being knowledgeable in the field of sleep medicine, procedures, and treatments. In this case you as a patient will expect some degree of confidence and protection.
-
The same conditions are applied to Canadian Sleep Society (CSS), which is a professional association of clinicians, scientists and technologists formed in June 1986 to further the advancement and understanding of sleep and its disorders through scientific study and public awareness.
-
Please refer to Sleep Centers section of this Web site for more actual location, directions, and phone numbers.
How long have you been practicing sleep medicine?
-
If you are in the sleep center, this question could be modified to the following: “How long has this sleep center been diagnosing and treating sleep disorder patients?”
-
If there is a sleep specialist, ask him/her the following question:“How many years have you been practicing sleep medicine?”
Before making an appointment and after you decided about the sleep center where you are planning to see a sleep specialist, you need to check yourself if you experience (presently or in the past) the following conditions that may indicate that professional consultation is needed:
* Your sleep-related difficulties persisted for over a month
* You have noticed that one or more conditions, such as: often unable to fall asleep, unable to stay asleep all night, or unable to stay awake during the day
* Due to your sleep problem you happened to run into a car accident, lost employment, or destroyed personal relationship
* Your sleeping pills make you addicted
* You are trying to sleep in separate beds to stay away from your partner because of your snoring and/or your restless legs behavior
* You realized that after trying everything you know, you still have problems with your sleep.
Another sign that you must see a sleep doctor is when your night time sleep pattern reflects your daytime performance
Your family physician will be able to determine the cause of your sleep problems and can refer you to a reputable, licensed sleep specialist or a sleep center in your area.
Watch Video: Ask the Doctor
Just before Your Scheduled Appointment
Most sleep centers perform many similar procedures. Usually, you can ask the receptionist of the center to mail you their forms and other required questionnaires before your appointment. It is advisable that you also complete the Sleep Log:
|
SLEEP LOG |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
|
When you trying to sleep, did you turn off the lights? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When was the last time you wake up this morning? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you take naps yesterday? If yes, give total length of sleep in minutes. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How many minutes did it take you to fall asleep last night? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How many hours did you actually sleep last night? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How many minutes were you awake during the night? Do not count the time it took you to fall asleep initially. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compared with your own average over the last month, how well did you sleep last night |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How often did you wake up last night? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How refreshing and restorative was your sleep? Was it better or worse than your average? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you take any sleeping medication? Record time and amount. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When did you get out of bed for the last time this morning |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bed Partner
It is recommended to ask your bed partner to accompany you to the appointment. Another person who lives with you or visits frequently may finish the questionnaire, if you don’t have a regular bed partner.
* Make sure he or she completes the Bed Partner Questionnaire for you and bring to your appointment if it won’t be possible for your partner to attend. In fact, the sleep doctor may talk to your bed partner at another time.
* Do not forget to bring with you all medications you are presently taking, because most people can’t recall details of prescriptions or over-the-counter medications.
* Complete the Medication Log and bring it to the appointment.
Sleep Diary
In addition, you maybe asked to fill other medical forms and sleep-related questionnaires. Also, the sleep center or the doctor may ask you to keep notes of events, called a “sleep diary,” Those notes will display psychological and social issues and your own thoughts and feeling regarding your sleep problem. This diary may be very important for your doctor. It will enable you to reconstruct specific bad nights of sleep, as well as the events of the day before. The sleep diary could help you in understanding particular events, which affect your sleep.
For more information please click here:
Leave a Reply