Implementing protocol for obstructive sleep apnea screening in the primary care setting.

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Sleep Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often undiagnosed in primary care settings.
• Clinical guidelines recommend early OSA diagnosis, yet routine screening is infrequent.
• Undiagnosed OSA increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening for at-risk patients in primary care.
• To assess the effectiveness of referring screened patients for sleep studies.
• To reduce the burden of undiagnosed OSA disease through early identification.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the STOP-Bang questionnaire for OSA risk assessment in primary care.
• Referred high-risk individuals for diagnostic sleep studies.
• Compared screening and referral rates before and after project implementation.

Main Results:

• Screening and referral rates increased from 3% and 0% to 43% and 39% post-implementation.
• 61% of screened participants were at risk; 39% accepted sleep study referrals.
• 67% of those who underwent sleep studies were diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA, often requiring CPAP therapy.

Conclusions:

• Primary care providers can effectively implement OSA screening using tools like STOP-Bang.
• There is a high unmet need for OSA screening and treatment in primary care.
• Early OSA detection and management in primary care are vital for mitigating health risks.