Sleep Studies

The sleep lab at Monroe County Hospital & Clinics (MCHC) is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) for the services of Home Sleep Testing and in lab Sleep Disorder Testing.

Achieving accreditation is a process where healthcare organizations demonstrate compliance with national standards. Accreditation by ACHC reflects an organization’s dedication and commitment to meeting standards that facilitate a higher level of performance and patient care.

The procedure is fairly simple and completely painless. A highly trained technologist will attach a series of electrodes that will monitor: brain activity (EEG) to record the various stages of sleep and sleep interruption; eye movement, to determine REM sleep; chin electrodes, to monitor muscle relaxation/tension; chest electrodes (EKG) to evaluate heart rate; arm and leg leads for the evaluation of limb movements; a small microphone on the throat will record snoring; belts around the chest and abdomen to monitor respiratory effort; and last, a red light over the index finger will calculate the amount of oxygen carried in the blood.  All this is accomplished pain-free, with the use of patches or small electrodes. Apnea may be worse in the supine position (on the back); therefore, the technician may ask the patient to sleep on their back at some point during the test.  Six hours of recording time are required to complete most insurance requirements for coverage of the test.

Generally, sleep studies are one-night stays. The sleep rooms at MCHC have been designed to be as relaxing as possible. They are decorated with plush, queen-sized beds and are located away from patient rooms, keeping sound to a minimum.

Sleep studies are covered by most insurance companies. However, the patient must have the symptoms and meet medical necessity for a test to be covered. Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, and most other insurance companies will cover sleep studies.

If you’d like to put an end to your restless nights and daytime drowsiness and reduce your risk of potential serious health problems, consult your doctor to see if a sleep study is right for you.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) only grants its coveted deeming authority designation to select national accreditation organizations that consistently exceed expectations. We are proud to have CMS deeming authority for our Acute Care Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Clinical Laboratories, Critical Access Hospitals, DMEPOS, Home Health, Home Infusion Therapy, Hospice, and Renal Dialysis programs, as well as a quality management system that is certified to ISO 9001:2015.