PAGE TITLE HERE

The Sleep Center

  

The Sleep Center

at St. Alexius not only has a new location, but it has new

technology and equipment as well. Not just new; the newest. And not

just good; the best. St. Alexius has a state-of-the-art sleep center

with the finest equipment and some of the most knowledgeable staff

in the area. With the only board-certified sleep medicine specialist

in the region, the St. Alexius Sleep Center provides comprehensive

clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and management of children and

adults with all forms of sleep disorders.

The staff consists of registered respiratory therapists, registered polysomnographic technologists,

neurologists, and Dr. Siriwan

Kriengkrairut and Dr. Chatree Wongjirard, the only board-certified sleep medicine specialists in

the region. With the physician, staff and new facilities, St.

Alexius is able to provide the higher standard of care that our

patients have come to expect at the medical center.

The new facility has enhanced overall care for patients with sleep

disorders. The sleep center helps patients who experience various

sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, periodic

limb movement disorder, narcolepsy, insomnia, parasomnias

(sleepwalking; sleep talking) and circadian rhythm disorders (shift

work sleep disorders, etc.). Most sleep disorder patients require a

sleep study. A sleep study (polysomnogram) is a test which measures

bodily functions during sleep. Sleep studies MUST be ordered by a

physician. The study lasts six and a half hours or more. Body

sensors are applied allowing the patient to turn and move without

interference. These sensors monitor brain waves, heartbeat, eye

movement, leg movement, breathing and more. The data is then

reviewed by a physician for interpretation and report.

Worried about how patients sleep in a strange place all night with

sensors attached to their bodies? Don’t be. The rooms have been

designed for patient’s comfort.

“We understand that it’s sometimes hard for people to sleep in an

unfamiliar room, with an unfamiliar bed. For this reason, we made

the rooms as comfortable as possible. We use to have standard rooms

with standard bathrooms, but with our new sleep center, we took it

up a notch so that each room now reflects our higher standard,” said

Mike Runge, director of Respiratory Therapy. “The walls are

soundproof. The doors block out all light. The sensors are

strategically placed on the body to allow for movement. And we have

top-notch technology that allows us to monitor the patient as he or

she sleeps.”

Standard protocol for diagnosing sleep-related disorders includes a

pre-assessment of the patient. There is a history and physical exam

(H&P), as well as a questionnaire. The patient is questioned

regarding sleep patterns and difficulties. Following the evaluation,

a diagnostic sleep study may be scheduled. The study is performed by

a sleep technician and scored by a registered or registry-eligible

technologist. The study is then interpreted by the Medical Director

of the Sleep Center to determine if treatment is necessary, and if

so, what treatment should be prescribed.

If you would like to see a specialist regarding sleep problems,

consult with your primary physician. You may also call the Sleep

Center to make an appointment with our Sleep Center physicians.

Appointments can be made Monday

through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sleep studies are scheduled

Sunday through Thursday nights.

If you have any questions related to sleep, or the Sleep Center,

please feel free to contact The Sleep

Center Supervisor, at 530-SLEEP (7533).

Back

 

Scroll to Top