FAQ
Is the facility fee for my Home Based Sleep Study covered by my Private Health Fund?
Why do I have to wear loose fitting clothes to my appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study?
What clothes should I wear / bring to my appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study?
Why do I need to eat before my appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study? Will it affect the results if I don't?
Can I drive myself home after the appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study? Can I take public transport?
How long will the appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study take?
After a Home Based Sleep Study, when and where do I return the equipment to? Can I get someone else to drop it off for me?
Why do I have to remove my nail polish? If so, how many fingers?
How long will it take for my study results to get to my GP?
How long will the In-Lab Sleep Study take and what time does it finish?
Is the Home Based Sleep Study covered by my Private Health Fund?
No. The Home Based Sleep Study is covered with a valid Medicare card and current GP or specialist referral. Up to one (1) Home Based Sleep Study may be covered by Medicare per year, per person. If the Home Based Sleep Study appointment is booked at one of our privately owned clinics, there is an additional facility fee of $50. For all external clinics, the facility fee is $100. In the event that a Medicare card or referral is not available, patients will need to cover the full fee of $400 (including the facility fee) as an out-of-pocket expense.
Why do I have to wear loose fitting clothes to my appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study?
Although you will be going home to sleep after the appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study, equipment that is applied will restrict you from being able to change some of your clothes before bed. In particular, you will be unable to change your top after the procedure is complete.
What exactly should I wear / bring to my appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study?
Ideally, you should wear your pyjamas or bring them with you to your appointment to change into before the procedure commences. The clothing should be loose fitting and comfortable so as not to cause discomfort throughout the night. It isn't particularly important what you wear as pants, but tops should either be button down/zippable or have a broad stretchy collar so as to allow access to the chest for the application of ECG (heart monitoring) electrodes.
Why do I need to eat before my appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study? Will it affect the results if I don't?
Some of the sensors applied during the procedure are sensitive to jaw movement, while others cannot be exposed to moisture and will sit directly in front of your mouth. This makes it impossible to eat without dislodging sensors or potentially damaging the equipment before the study.
If you choose not to eat, it may not affect the study unless your sleep is disturbed due to hunger. The optimal situation would be to eat prior to the study.
Can I drive myself home after the appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study? Can I take public transport?
You may not take public transport home from a Home Based Sleep Study appointment. In order to reduce unnecessary movement that could dislodge an electrode, we advise that you bring somebody to the appointment who can drive you home. If this is not an option for you, you may like to organise a taxi to take you home, the technician on the night can assist you with this.
If driving yourself home is the only viable option, it can be done but you will need to take great care to avoid dislodging any electrodes prior to the study.
How long will the appointment for a Home Based Sleep Study take?
Typically 45 minutes to 1 hour
After a Home Based Sleep Study, when and where do I return the equipment to? Can I get someone else to drop it off for me?
One or two days before your appointment, you will receive a call to confirm your appointment and explain the preparation and procedure. The drop-off location should be specified during this call. Generally however, you will need to return the unit to the same place where you went for your appointment before 10 am the following day. If your initial appointment was on a Friday, we recommend that you return the unit the Monday after.
Why do I have to remove my nail polish? If so, how many fingers?
You only need to remove polish from one finger on your left hand as your oxygen saturation levels will be measured using a finger pulse oximeter. The oximeter works by shining coloured light through your nail and measuring the proportion of light reflected, any opaque, reflective of coloured material on the nail may disrupt the signal and lead to inaccurate measurements.
How long will it take for my study results to get to my GP?
It can vary. If the results are urgent they can be sent to your GP within a week. Otherwise, as all studies must be reported on by a specialist, the process can take up to a month depending on when the study was downloaded as well as the number of studies that need to be analysed.
You can help expedite this process by making sure your unit is returned by 10 am the morning after your study.
How long will the In-Lab Sleep Study take and what time does it finish?
Most in-lab sleep study appointments start at 7:30 pm. You will typically be woken up at 5:30 - 6:00 am and discharged sometime between 6:30 - 7:00 am, however, this can depend on the hospital or clinic the study is conducted at. The exact timing of your study will be specified when you book your appointment.
You should have a fairly normal night in terms of sleep time (you will not be expected to sleep at 7:30 pm). There are some restrictions on the minimum length of the study (6 hours), but the technician will endeavour to arrange the night to allow you to sleep at a time that suits you.