Jaspal Singh

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s (AASM) Taskforce
on Sleep Telemedicine supports telemedicine as a means of
advancing patient health by improving access to the expertise
of Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Specialists. However, such
access improvement needs to be anchored in attention to
quality and value in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders.
Telemedicine is also useful to promote professionalism through
patient care coordination and communication… Show more

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s (AASM) Taskforce
on Sleep Telemedicine supports telemedicine as a means of
advancing patient health by improving access to the expertise
of Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Specialists. However, such
access improvement needs to be anchored in attention to
quality and value in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders.
Telemedicine is also useful to promote professionalism through
patient care coordination and communication between
other specialties and sleep medicine. Show less

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is an increasingly recognized global epidemic [1]. Uninsured patients frequently lack access to specialized testing, treatment and specialists access. Such patients may have conflicting priorities that affect their ability to comply with sleep apnea therapy. Carolinas Sleep Services has an Ambulatory Sleep program in which uninsured patients in Mecklenberg County, NC are provided both diagnostic and treatment options at either no or minimal charge. We… Show more

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is an increasingly recognized global epidemic [1]. Uninsured patients frequently lack access to specialized testing, treatment and specialists access. Such patients may have conflicting priorities that affect their ability to comply with sleep apnea therapy. Carolinas Sleep Services has an Ambulatory Sleep program in which uninsured patients in Mecklenberg County, NC are provided both diagnostic and treatment options at either no or minimal charge. We retrospectively reviewed the chart data for 236 patients at the Carolina Sleep Services Ambulatory Clinic to assess patient adherence to PAP therapy in this low-income population. 149 (63%) of the 236 patients were recommended to have positive airway pressure therapy; the remaining 87 patients were not recommended PAP therapies. Compliance reports were obtained for only 30 of the 149 patients; patients were not given CPAP devices with modems and the return of card data was a challenge. Of those with compliance reports, 14 (47%) were compliant with their therapy. However, since this study had severe limitations, further research into methods for improving therapeutic compliance in uninsured or low-income populations is suggested. Approaches for addressing PAP compliance in underserved populations may also be linked to broader issues of access to healthcare in this population. Show less

Quick article about newer ways in which the pulmonary, critical care, and sleep community interacts with the cardiology community.