Just a few weeks ago, the sleep lab at Greene County Medical Center underwent a three-year re-credentialing process and earned a perfect score.
Care management director Amy Sessions said they addressed one item while the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) representative was here, but when they walked out of the nearly day-long survey, it was with those outstanding results.
The commission is responsible for determining if a sleep program has met specific criteria in policies and practices, 133 different standards in total for 2023. “It was a proud moment,” Sessions said. “But it takes a village to achieve something like this. We had help from many departments throughout the organization that all worked together to make this happen.”
The sleep lab at Greene County Medical Center opened more than 20 years ago, with two units that underwent renovations within the past 10 years. “These are basically bedrooms with monitoring equipment,” Sessions explained. “We have the ability to be conducting live monitoring on two patients in the Medical Center, but we can also have as many as four other home tests being conducted on the same night.”
There are many reasons a sleep study is ordered. According to Sessions, the most common is snoring loudly or stopping breathing during the night. “Other symptoms that could result in a sleep test are feeling overly tired during the day, high blood pressure as well as sleep and breathing issues related to obesity.”
Sleep problems are not as uncommon as many people believe, with a reported 60 percent of the population predicted to have sleep apnea at some time in their lives. Not all, however, need to be tested and treated. It could be as simple as placing a ball in a rear pocket of pajamas to keep someone from sleeping on their back, losing weight, getting more active and making lifestyle improvements to lower blood pressure that could help alleviate these issues.
“We are thrilled with our results and how we have been able to work as a team to ensure we are providing quality care that brings quality results, right here in Jefferson,” Sessions said. “You think this is a small town hospital, but we are offering big city care.”
Referrals are required for the sleep lab. Persons who would like more information should talk with their primary care provider.
