NSA Purpose: To assemble a team of health professionals treating sleep apnea, so they can provide the finest care possible for patients. Optimum care will be provided by this alliance thru outstanding education and communication.
The Problem: Sleep apnea is a national health crisis. It is grossly under diagnosed and treated. The difficulty is that many health care providers don’t recognize the signs, symptoms and ramifications of this deadly condition. The trouble is exacerbated by the fact that there is often poor communication between health care providers treating these patients.
The Solution: To provide education for physicians, dentists and other health care professionals so that all providers can have a comprehensive understanding of sleep apnea and the different treatment modalities available. Education of both primary care physicians and dentists will allow for better initial patient screening and proper referral. In addition to education, providing a standardized communication network to providers will allow the patient to get the best treatment and follow up care. Educating dentist on Medical Billing is a critical component.
Why Now? Sleep Apnea is a rapidly growing health care problem and projections are that this growth will continue for the foreseeable future. More and more primary providers are likely to become involved in diagnosing and treating these patients. An alliance of health professionals would not have been as effective as now because of an under appreciation on the part of the profession and the public to the seriousness of this condition. Recent advances in technologies such as home sleep testing and Cone Beam Computed Tomography allow for easy screening of large patient groups. Referral to an “alliance” member will allow for the patient to receive the best treatment modality and follow up for their condition from a group of linked providers that understand the role of all of the other providers.
Team Motivation: The team brings together a highly motivated and professionally successful group of people. Collectively, they have over 100 years of clinical practice treating patients with the latest and best technologies available. They all have many years of educational experience, sharing their insight and clinical experience with their colleagues. They have all been involved in operating their own individual small businesses and are a hardworking, self-motivated group.
Two major factors motivated the group to start the National Sleep Alliance. First, they all are intimately aware of the national health crisis that sleep apnea poses. They understand how this disease is dramatically under diagnosed and treated. Secondly, they are aware of the lack of communication between sleep physicians and other health professionals, especially primary care physicians and dentists. They believe that better professional education along with screening by primary care physicians and dentists would benefit all patient populations.
