HSAT trumps PSG, survey finds

CAESAREA, Israel – Ninety-three percent of health care professionals currently use home sleep apnea testing in their practices, according to the results of a recent survey designed by Itamar Medical. 

Furthermore, HSAT represents more than 50% of the daily test volume in 66% of the practices surveyed. 

“While sleep apnea affects an estimated 54 million to 64 million people in the U.S., roughly 80% of sufferers remain undiagnosed and untreated, largely due to the lack of awareness as to the serious nature of the disorder,” said Omar E. Burschtin, associate professor of medicine, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. “The innovation in home-based testing and the shift from PSG to HSAT can improve this situation dramatically.” 

Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 67% of respondents reported PSG usage decreased and about 66% of respondents reported HSAT usage increased, the survey showed. 

Post-pandemic, about 39% and 25% expect HSAT usage to be 50% and 75% or higher, respectively, of test mix, the survey showed. 

“Due to COVID-19 infection risks, sleep labs were forced to close, hindering access to in-lab testing,” said Gilad Glick, CEO of Itamar Medical. “As a result, sleep clinicians relied on home-based testing solutions, which played a vital role in enabling them to continue to diagnose patients and empower the commencement of their patients’ care pathway.”  

In all, 213 sleep professionals, including physicians, technicians, respiratory therapists, and sleep clinic directors and managers, participated in the survey.