Sleep Disorders Center Services

  

Diagnostic Evaluation

Patients are usually referred to the Center by their primary care physicians or other health specialists. 
Prospective patients should discuss any issues or symptoms related to their possible sleep disorder with their physician so that they may be properly assessed and referred.

These symptoms include:

  • Restlessness during sleep
  • Excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness
  • Snoring, pauses in breathing and/or gasping for air
  • Morning headaches
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Memory loss Irritability and/or mood or behavior changes
  • Anxiety and/or depression
  • Decreased libido
  • Falling asleep with any sedentary activity

Depending on the results of that initial assessment, additional tests may be indicated, including laboratory recording of sleep via polysomnography.  Polysomnography is the most accurate and objective method of evaluating sleep as well as a variety of abnormal changes in breathing, heart activity, and behavior, which may occur only during sleep.  Daytime polysomnography is also used to measure daytime sleepiness.  The recording of sleep and other functions is painless and carries no appreciable risk.  It is performed in comfortable, private bedrooms, overnight, and/or for a series of daytime naps, depending on the nature of the patient’s problem.

Treatment    
The treatment of sleep and waking disorders is as varied as the disorders themselves.  Breathing abnormalities, particularly sleep apnea, may necessitate treatment via weight loss, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or surgery.  Many cases of insomnia respond fully or partially to the application of proper sleep hygiene measures.  Use of certain medications, the supervised withdrawal of certain drugs or alcohol, or even psychotherapy may be required in some cases.  Narcolepsy requires careful counseling and judicious use of long-term symptomatic medication.  Bright light therapy may even be provided in special cases.

The Center’s professional staff consists of Board Certified Pulmonologists, seasoned Certified Respiratory Therapists & Sleep Technologists, and supervision by a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist with a multidisciplined, clinical background in sleep medicine.

The Center is situated within a stunning, period home located at 206 Hathaway Park in Lebanon.  The surrounding neighborhood is quiet and just few steps away from The Good Samaritan Hospital.

State of the art, digital recording instruments fully integrate each of six, private, spacious bedrooms to a central control station.  Clean and comfortable, most patients who visit the Center report that any anxiety or reservations they had prior to their visit were dissolved within minutes of arriving.

The Center normally conducts testing overnight.  Other arrangements can be made for patients with special circumstances.  On average, the Center performs 2,000 polysomnograms per year.  Typically, the wait time for a study averages about 3 weeks, but could be longer depending on the time of year.  Interpreted results and recommendations are normally returned to the referring physician within 72 hours of testing.

Most insurance plans will cover an overnight polysomnogram.  In fact, some will only approve a polysomnogram if it is performed at a facility where patients are continuously monitored, such as the Sleep Disorders Center.  If you’d like to investigate whether or not your insurance plan will cover such a test, the procedure code you will need to provide is:  95810.

Only you and your physician can decide if your symptoms warrant a polysomnogram.  You need to take the first step.

Sleep Disorders Center Hours of Operation:
Night Shift:  Sunday through Saturday (9:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.)
Day Shift Office:  Monday through Friday (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)




For more information, please write or call:
GSH Sleep Disorders Center
206 Hathaway Park
Lebanon, PA  17042
(717) 270-2349