Tag Archives: sleep physicians

Wikipedia is No Substitute for Doctors

 

The “Mail online” recently trumpeted what physicians have been lamenting since the beginning of the Internet age: the web is not necessarily reliable for medical information. Call it a validation of sorts, courtesy of Dr. Robert Hasty of Campbell University in North Carolina colleagues.

 

The team concluded that many entries in Wikipedia, especially medical entries, contain false information. The message? Don’t use Wikipedia in place of your doctor.

 

The team published its study titled “Wikipedia vs Peer-Reviewed Medical Literature for Information About the 10 Most Costly Medical Conditions” in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, calling the information published in 20,000-plus medical related Wikipedia entries into question.

Click Here to read study

According to the report, researchers identified the “10 costliest conditions in terms of public and private expenditure”—which included diabetes, back pain, lung cancer and major depressive disorder—and compared the content of Wikipedia articles about those conditions to peer-reviewed medical literature. Two randomly assigned investigators found that 90% of the articles contained false information, which could affect the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

 

Also from the Post, “Pew research suggests that 72 percent of Internet users have looked up health information online in the last year. False information on Wikipedia accounts — like a edited information about the side effects of a medication or false information about the benefits of one course of treatment over another — could encourage some patients to push their doctors toward prescribing a certain drug or treatment.”

 

Source: Mail Online

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SleepView: The Smallest, Lightest, Type III Sleep Monitor

Imagess2 SleepView: The Smallest, Lightest, Type III Sleep MonitorThe ultra light type 3 home sleep monitor from is designed to be simple for patients, and cost effective for .

Just shy of a year on the market, the SleepView from CleveMed has managed to carve a growing niche in the highly competitive world of home sleep monitoring. Sarah Weimer, director of at the Cleveland-based manufacturer, touts the device as the smallest and lightest home sleep monitor within the AASM-recommended Type 3 channel-set guidelines.

At a weight of approximately 2 ounces, the equipment is ergonomically designed for patients to perform a self test at home, while also working hand in hand with CleveMed’s PSG Web Portal.

The eCrystal PSG web service is offered at three different service tiers to meet the needs of various customers. We offer a full service with use of our eCrystal PSG web portal, scoring and interpretation for customer who are not affiliated with a sleep center. Our mid tier service includes use of eCrystal PSG and scoring. With this service a registered sleep technologist verifies the scoring and creates a draft of the report to be completed by a sleep physician. We also offer web portal use only. This service is used by centers that have personal for scoring and interpretation but wish to take advantage of easy web access to the data. Sleep studies can be uploaded from the point of patient care.

Easy for Patients

While approved home sleep testing last year, reimbursement still stands at just over $200. At that rate, Weimer points out that it is not cost effective for sleep labs, especially if sleep professionals must be involved with the setup every step of the way. “With that in mind, the goal with the SleepView was to make a device that fulfilled the channel set asked for by AASM, with the types of sensors that they like to see as well,” says Weimer. “At the same time, we wanted it to be very easy for patients to do a self hook up with minimal instruction.”

Clevemed was uniquely suited to do an incredibly small due to the company’s long history of producing wireless monitors. Working within the diminutive design parameters, engineers sought to avoid the more complex harness systems used by competitors. “We wanted it to be small and light enough that it could be supported by a traditional respiratory effort belt,” reveals Weimer. “It is easier for patients to hook themselves up. They don’t have to worry about extra mounting straps or the discomfort of having the device worn elsewhere on the body.”

Not surprisingly, patients appreciate how easy it is to put on the SleepView. For patients who think it may be too easy and question the procedure, engineers went an additional step with LED light indicators on the front that let patients know if they have hooked themselves up properly. “If they turn the device on, but they don’t have sensors on, there is a little light on the front of the device by each channel name that will light up red to let them know that they are not hooked up properly,” explains Weimer. “As they get each channel hooked up correctly, those lights will turn green to indicate that it is collecting a good signal. When the patient first turns the device on, those lights will stay on for 90 seconds, and then anytime during the night the patient can hit the ‘on’ button again to get another 30 seconds of feedback about whether the device is collecting good signals or not.”

Image3 SleepView: The Smallest, Lightest, Type III Sleep MonitorFeedback on usability and success rates tabulated from sponsored tests have consistently shown that patients come back with valid data. “Other customers have been using our other product, the , which is a little bit more traditional and a little bit more complicated for the patient to put on,” says Weimer. “It [the Scout] does not have the feedback, and we would have an increased number of unsuccessful studies with that product compared to this product. The immediate patient feedback on the SleepView lets patients know that they may not have a sensor in place properly, and they can fix it right away.”

Expanding the Market

Weimer agrees that the SleepView, and home testing in general, will likely expand the market for sleep labs by increasing access and awareness to potential patients. The undiagnosed masses will get into the treatment cycle, benefitting all parties throughout the continuum of care.

As more clinicians learn about the importance of sleep, referrals will also increase the flow of patients. “Patients are typically seeing their dentists or , and if those health care professionals are asking the right questions about sleep, it is just going to increase the number of people who are aware and getting tested,” says Weimer.

SleepView at a Glance

Hardware Dimensions: 3” × 2.6” × 0.7” (7.6 cm × 6.6 cm × 1.8 cm) Weight: 2 oz (57 g) (approx.) with batteries Power: 1 AAA battery Memory: 1G internal memory

7 Dedicated Channels

  1. Heart Rate
  2. Pulse Oximetry
  3. Airflow (pressure based)
  4. Airflow (thermistor)
  5. Snore (derived from airflow)
  6. Respiratory Effort Belt (RIP)
  7. Body Position

Software

SleepView works with the eCrystal PSG Web Portal, allowing treating physicians to initiate home sleep tests directly from their practices. Data from the SleepView is uploaded through the web portal to a network of professional technologists and for timely scoring and study interpretation.

Later reports with recommended treatment or follow-up are retrieved by the treating physician. This patient monitoring system allows physicians to provide a continuum of care.

For more information, visit http://www.clevemed.com

Information and Education

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A renewed commitment to a nationwide phone reference (1-800-SLEEPLAB) is just one of many projects on the Sleep Group Solutions docket.

Rani Ben-David, president of Sleep Group Solutions (SGS), North Miami Beach, Fla, wants to be all things to all people, at least when it comes to the telephone lines. The ambitious goal comes in the form of 1-800-SLEEPLAB, a work in progress that seeks to be nothing less than the largest directory in the sleep world—an ever-widening realm that includes neurology, cardiology, ENTs, , and .

With Vital Lessons Learned
From 1-800-SNORING, a pilot project dedicated solely to the dental end, Ben-David hopes to be a first-call for consumers who need help. Depending on the zip code from where the call originates, inquiries would go straight to participating sleep professionals. who use SGS sleep interpretation and scoring services will also automatically be a part of the 1-800 directory. “Right now there is no one directory for everybody,” says Ben-David. “This one reference is designed to be the heart for everyone.” While the listing is for FREE the sleep labs and Physicians have the option to lease the 1800 number for the ZIP code they practice at for a very low fee.

SGS has built its reputation by thinking big, and when company officials needed an advisor, they went straight to the top, garnering advice from Atul Malhotra, MD, medical director for the Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Sleep Disorders Research Program. SGS is the manufacturer of the Eccovision Rhinometer and Pharyngometer.
Jeffrey Fredberg The Harvard professor who invented the Eccovision Rhinometer and Pharyngometer recommended Malhotra, and Ben-David now counts the BWH mainstay as a friend and business associate. As both a purveyor of education and a seller of sophisticated measuring devices and other Sleep products such as the Embletta ambulatory sleep device, SGS has seen dramatic growth that mirrors the hype surrounding the burgeoning sleep industry. Plans for 2010/2011 are simple: keep it going, spread the news, and take on even more projects. That is why CEO Tamir Cohen has started a road trip to Europe and the Middle East to start partnerships in those Regions.

New Partners, New Twists, New Technology
A partnership with Newport Beach, Calif-based Glidewell Dental Lab offers SGS an opportunity to double its number of educational seminars to about 80 per year. Glidewell Doctors will now get a discounted rate. Glidewell provides a lot of dental appliances in the vast metropolis of Southern California and throughout the World. “It’s a huge partnership because they do more than 3,000 per month,” enthuses Ben-David. “Those Doctors need the education, and it’s a perfect opportunity for two companies with integrity to come together for mutual benefit. Glidewell is one of the most reputable Dental Labs in the World”.
embletta sgs1 Information and Education

The SGS educational model starts with a 2-day seminar. “Most of the professionals who lecture for us are diplomates of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine,” adds Ben-David. “Doctors come to the courses very excited to learn about the field of sleep. In 2 days, we teach them about apnea, insomnia, and the main sleep problems. Of course, we cover the dental side of sleep apnea and our are very soon, busy treating patients.

emblas sgs sensors1 Information and Education
An App for That

Technology in the form of an iPhone application is designed to aid consumers, many of whom rely heavily on cell  phone information. The app records a bed partner’s snoring for 60 seconds, then features a questionnaire to fill out. “Send it to us and our server automatically sends it to the closest sleep pro in your area, and that professional is part of the 800 directory,” explains Ben-David. “The wife tells the husband that he snores. She can download the app and record him, the sleep doc will call you for the evaluation. People know they have a problem, but don’t take that extra step. Now the stalemate can be broken.” and can send the application via email as a kind of rudimentary initial screening. “It’s not a medical screening,” admits Ben-David, “but they can send it to their patients and ultimately give an opinion.” Oral Appliance for Less Yet another SGS venture with Respire Medical involves an
oral appliance at a reasonable price. “It is a laboratory-fabricated appliance at a cost of $149,” says Ben-David.  “Compare that to a well-known brand that is $550. For the patient to be able to do it, we lowered the cost of the appliance. It’s as good as everyone else’s, but at a quarter of the price. We are making enough money on the $149 that we don’t need to charge more.” The Gelb Center in New York City has partnered with SGS and Respire to offer the best solutions for Sleep Disordered Breathing. Drs Harold and Michael Gelb direct an Integrated TMJ and Sleep practice at 635 Madison Avenue together with David Walton and Walid Raad of Respire and SGS.

Rani Ben-David, President of Sleep Group Solutions is based in Miami, FL.
For more information on SGS, please visit www. sleepgroupsolutions.com

sgslogo11 Information and Education

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