Working with Cardiologists
Greg Dunn, respiratory manager, Alpine Home Medical, has developed referral relationships with cardiologists, which he says was easy to do because these physicians realize the importance of testing their patients for obstructive sleep apnea.
The Utah provider first began working with cardiologists on pulse oximetry screenings for congestive heart failure patients. As they became more aware that their patients’ heart conditions had a close link to sleep disorders, “cardiologists have looked for more efficient and effective tools to screen patients,” Dunn says.
Providers who are trying to partner with cardiologists should focus on education, Dunn recommends. “Respiratory therapists can go in and educate the physician to some of the new studies and things that have been discovered about sleep apnea management and its co-morbidities.”