FAQ

The Colorado Sleep Institute (CSI) is the only truly comprehensive sleep center in Colorado, where board-certified, fellowship-trained sleep physicians evaluate, diagnose, and manage the full spectrum of sleep disorders (including OSA, insomnia, RLS, parasomnias, narcolepsy, and circadian disorders) and all diagnostic testing and treatments are provided in-house for continuity of care and to improve clinical outcomes.

The core of CSI is our clinic. Unlike the common scenario in which a sleep test is interpreted by a physician who never sees or manages the patient, our clinicians order, interpret, and manage the results of all sleep testing. Some clinics may have physicians who practice sleep medicine part-time but often the bulk of the patient’s sleep related care is offloaded to the referring provider. In contrast, our sleep clinicians have devoted their practices exclusively to the comprehensive management of patients with sleep disorders to ensure the best clinical outcomes.

In addition to board-certification in Sleep Medicine, all of our sleep physicians have completed an ACGME-certified Sleep Medicine Fellowship program, which is the highest level of training available. Prior to 2011, most physicians obtained board certification without having undergone formal, accredited training in Sleep Medicine. We have the largest number of fellowship-trained, board-certified sleep physicians in Colorado.

As the field of sleep medicine has grown, the insurance regulations for diagnostic testing and treatments have become more stringent. Patients now must meet very specific eligibility requirements documented in office visit notes. Our sleep practitioners are specifically trained and updated on this ever-evolving landscape of regulations to minimize the chance that testing or treatment will be delayed or denied due to documentation deficiencies.

We understand the importance of communication. We see to it that all visit notes, labs, and study results are consistently communicated to your physician(s).

CSI sleep specialists have access to a full spectrum of diagnostic tools and treatment modalities. Our clinical services include sleep evaluation and follow-up visits, oral appliance clinic visits, and CPAP clinic visits. Our diagnostic services include home sleep apnea testing (HSAT), in-lab polysomnography (PSGs) and multiple sleep latency testing (MSLTs), actigraphy, and nocturnal oximetry. Therapies offered in-house include CPAP, oral appliances, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), and positional therapy.

Yes, we have an established cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) program. Studies indicate that CBT-I is more effective than prescription hypnotics for primary insomnia. In some cases, judicious use of hypnotics may also be necessary.

Unlike DMEs (which are merely equipment suppliers), CSI manages a full-time CPAP Clinic, staffed with experienced, registered sleep technologists who personally meet with patients to assess adherence, efficacy of treatment, and to troubleshoot any problems with CPAP therapy. They perform hands-on, sleep-simulated mask-fitting sessions with each patient at the prescribed pressure, resulting in an optimal mask fit and improved acceptance of treatment. Our sleep physicians and technologists function as a cohesive team to support our patients as they acclimate to therapy and to troubleshoot any issues they may have.

After starting PAP therapy our technologists will arrange follow-up visits to assess response to therapy. In addition, CSI uses a state-of-the art wireless home PAP monitoring system which provides automatic alerts to our staff about issues such as poor adherence, poor efficacy, elevated mask leak, and emergence of central apneas on treatment (an important potential complication of PAP treatment at altitude). If alerted, our staff will contact our patient immediately and begin troubleshooting. For problems that cannot be resolved over the phone an appointment is scheduled with the appropriate provider. This team approach reaps considerable benefits: the adherence rate of PAP patients at CSI is historically >80%, which is roughly twice the national average.

Yes, we accept all major commercial insurance carriers including Medicare and Medicaid (non-DME only). Additionally, if there is an insurance plan we are not contracted with, we provide discounted self-pay rates for all of our services.