Sleep Study Facilities - What's Typical?

[cpapsue]

My sleep study was done on a separate floor in the same building as my internist's office - an associated service provided by my doctor's group. I expected it to be fairly clinical and I only stayed because I like my internist.

There were two 'bedrooms' (cheap motel style) set off a large room that was temporarily being used for boxed storage. The technician was across that room in another room with the computer equipment.
I could not see him but could talk to him through the speaker at my bedside. I felt the setup was a little creepy.

I could give way more details, but I think this is enough for my question, which is . . .

Where did most of you have your sleep studies done? My husband should have one and I'm not sure where to recommend that he go. Are most similar to my experience? Hospital setting? Where?

[Gerryk]

Mine was a clinical setting. The clinic is in an office building in a complex of office buildings. There are two hallways with the center rooms being the sleep study rooms and they are back to back the rooms on the outside walls are offices. The technicians were in one large room with their screens. The rooms are similar to a hotel room. I did have a problem with one room that I was in and that was temperature the tech came in and had to turn a fan on me because it was so hot in there I was sweating. They have one thermostat for several rooms and said they are correcting that when they move to a different location in town over the summer.

Hopefully this helped you some.

Gerry

[SheZAAM!]

The first one I had 3 years ago was similar to yours. The next one I had, in November was an at-home study where I took gear (much smaller gear) home, hooked myself up, then returned it the next day. It was MUCH nicer.

[Slinky]

Okay. My first sleep evaluation was about 1996-98, somewhere around there. It was done in one wing at a local hospital. Each room was the size of a hospital ward room (do they still have 6 bed ward rooms or are they all private and semi-private rooms now?). There was a private bath w/shower, double bed, round table, padded chair, upholstered arm chair, TV, video tape player. The monitor room was at the end of the hall. The office was the first room in the hall and the scoring was done on monitors in a room across from the "office".

My second evaluation was done a couple of years later, private clinic, in a beautiful old well kept home. The first floor had the office and a living room set up including sofa, fireplace, etc. The sleeping rooms were upstairs. They were beautiful too - except there was ONE bathroom between the TWO sleeping rooms and it was a "half" bath, no shower. The sink wasn't deep enough to wash your hair. The sleeping room consisted of the double bed. Set up w/the wires, etc. was done in the large "hall' at the head of the stairs.

My third evaluation was at a local sleep clinic in an business complex. The office and monitor room were in the center w/2 sleeping rooms and hall on each side. Each room had a large private half bath, no shower. Double bed, small table, 3 chairs, cable TV, DVD capabilities, individual thermostats for each room.

I also had a titration at a large teaching hospital. One entire floor was devoted to the sleep "clinic". You arrived for your daytime appointment, they took your xPAP to do a download, you had a consultation w/the sleep doctor and an RT suggested a mask. Your sleep study was scheduled for that same evening. You returned to the sleep "clinic" and were shown to your room. Pleasant room w/fancy bed, Posture-Pedic or some such type. Footstool. Private bath w/shower. Cable TV. RPSGT came in and took care of paperwork, inquired about mask, etc. A different RT came in and set you up, fitted your mask and said good night. You did have a consultation w/the sleep doctor after the titration to get your results.

The hospital titrations are usually more expensive than the independent sleep labs/clinics. But quality and comfort of facilities can vary. I'd "recconoiter" a sleep facility today: location, ask to see the rooms, ask about consultations w/the doctor, check the facility and the doctor accredidations. I prefer a private full bath so I can shower before I leave the facility in the morning. Others don't care as long as theirs is a private half bath.

[ScottyT]

I'm jealous you guys get TVs and DVD players and everything. For my second study, I even brought my own clock, because the room didn't have one. It was in a medical office building. Bathrooms were out of the clinic, down by the elevators, past several other medical offices. It was bizarre to wander an office building in my pajamas. It was very ghetto.

[cpapsue]

I had the Cable TV, etc., but what for? After getting hooked up, it was lights out, see you at 5 am. The bathroom was also out in the hall across from the elevators, no shower. Like I said, creepy.

[Debjax]

Mine was in a clinic on the second floor, in an office building that also housed a private school. The clinic was basically 5 rooms: 2 bedrooms side by side, doors on the "outer walls", large anteroom with the technician's computer equipment right outside our doors between the room doors, with a sofa and coffee setup on the other side of her workstation, a room where they hooked us up and one bathroom, no shower. The first night didn't bother me so much, but the second night for my titration I was sitting on the bed in my pj's when the night watchman or janitor or something came into the office, and poured himself a cup of coffee, then chatted with the tech for a few minutes, all where I was in full view. My husband was in the other bedroom for his first study, so I didn't kick, too much fuss. When I go back for my MSLT, I will make it clear that if anyone other than actual sleep clinic staff, i.e. the tech wants into the room, he can bloody well knock and give me a chance to close the door of the room I'm in first.

[ScottyT]

As ghetto as it was, I found that it's the people working in the clinic that had more of a result on how I felt about the night than where the bathroom was or how the room was set up. For my first study, I had a friendly tech who chatted and explained things. For my second, I had a complete bastard who walked into my room with no warning waking my up, yanked my mask tight enough to leave me bruised for daaaays and then walked out without saying a damn thing. If I ever go back, I'm making sure he's not working.

[Bookbear]

Mine was done (about three years ago) in a "professional office building", sort of a strip mall for lawyers, accountants, and doctors. The facility had perhaps 6 bedrooms, each rather small, each with a double bed, straight back chair, and a piece of furniture for the equipment to set on (this varied from room to room). A hook on the wall to hang clothes was provided. No TV, reading light, table, comfy chair, radio, or clock. Light was a fixture on the ceiling, no window. There was a speaker/mic in the ceiling, and the camera. All business. There was a bathroom down the hall, no shower. I used the bathroom once during the night, it was the same one used by the staff, and was also used as a storeroom for boxes of supplies. There was a monitoring room with video monitors and computers (I assume one for each patient room), and a break room for the technicians. There was a (very) small lobby for the patients to wait in prior to being taken in and being hooked up. The lobby had a small loveseat and coffee table with Respironics brochures. There was also a clear plastic head with a Resprironics full face mask strapped to it, looking down from a shelf on the wall. I only dealt with the technician who monitored me. She was nice... pleasant, explained about each step of the process, gave tips about getting the goop out of my hair when I got home the next morning. She described the various mask types and which ones she would start with in the second half of the study. Walked me to the door when it was all over.

[Slinky]

I don't think ANY of the sleep testing facilities provide a clock in the room. I know none of the ones I've been to have had a clock in the room.

[GuyK]

My study was done in a sleep center at a hospital. Of all places, it was in the cancer wing of a hospital, but since it was pretty much after hours, I didn't really see anyone or anything. The most annoying part was that the primary entrance is closed outside of business hours, so I had to walk around to find another entrance and then find my way back to the sleep center.

The room arrangement was kind of laid out like an H, with the data facilities in the crossbar, and rooms on each leg. I've only used one of those rooms with both of my studies, so I don't know if they were all like the one I used. TV and VCR, but I really wasn't there to watch TV . Private toilet and sink, hospital type bed with a foam mattress and foam pillow.

The first time, hallway lights were dimmed, and everything was nicely dark. The second time, however, hallway lights were on, and light spilled under the door and lit the room up a bit. I didn't like that part. But it was nice and quiet. I only used the call button once, which was on my original study. I had no idea what time it was, but I decided I had slept enough, so I rang the attendant. She told me she was just about ready to wake me anyway (~5:30am).

[boston]

WOW, you guys are making me feel really lucky. My sleep study was done in part of a 1 story 'professional building'. It was around back, I walked in to what I'd call an average doctors waiting room, told them who I was, they took my co-pay, took me straight back to my room, halls seemed like a standard doctors office type, but the room was like a very nice hotel. Very comfortable bed, nice carpet, paintings on the walls, and I had a clock, nice chair to sit in, etc. The guy that got me all wired up was real nice, explained everything before and during the wiring process, helped me into bed, told me I had to have at least 2 hours data before getting titrated, told him I'd see him in 2 hours. Went to sleep at 9, he woke me up at 11:02 said yep, you got it, put a nasal mask on me and asked if I could sleep with my mouth closed, told him I thought so, warned me if I couldnt he'd have to strap my mouth shut (kinda joking around), woke me again at 5 and told me it was all over. He had had a sleep study and was on CPAP, so I think he was real understnding of my point of view. They couldnt have been nicer or more helpful. From there it was downhill.

[Guest]

Mine was done at a sleep lab that was set up in an old hospital building that was turned into a community health center, so it was nice in that there were private rooms with private bathrooms/showers. I've had three sleep studies there and most of the beds really suck. They are too soft with that horrible "memory foam". I prefer a hard spring mattress, so at least one night I did not sleep at all because of that horrible bed. Plus it smells of urine in there. I don't know how the people who work there can stand it, but maybe they are so used to it they don't notice it. Ok other than those complaints, I think it's a great sleep lab. The techs are all so nice and helpful. The doctor is great too. He has really helped me a lot and I got a lot of problems, lol. They have loaned me masks to try and said they'd help me adjust my machine or anything I need. So the good people really makes up for the bad beds and smell.

[Guest]

I don't think ANY of the sleep testing facilities provide a clock in the room. I know none of the ones I've been to have had a clock in the room.

I brought my cell phone one night and put it by the bed with the ringer off. The tech was telling me to turn it off so it doesn't disturb me and I said I wanted to see the clock. He told me not to "clock-watch", but they don't get it. If I don't see what time it is I don't know if I've slept enough.

[mindy]

Wow! I hadn't realized how lucky I was!

It was a sleep center in a hospital complex and there was a large almost circular desk/worktable in the center with 6 rooms around the edges. Each room had a private bathroom including a shower, a TV, a clock (I think), a sleep number bed and nightstand. At least one room had an extra bed so if a child had to spend the night a parent could join them.

Every step was explained well and several of the techs are on CPAP. Sleep docs arrive early in the morning to review the night's studies and meet with those of use having studies. After being wired up, I could choose when to go to sleep - with the speaker I just had to notify the tech.

They were really super!

Mindy