This is Vitally Important – Please Read
THE FOLLOWING ARE REQUIREMENTS ADDITIONAL TO THE STANDARD REFERRAL – UNDER REVISED LEGISLATION EFFECTIVE – NOVEMBER 2018
Effective 1st November 2018, (under revised legislation), “NO PATIENT WILL BE ELIGIBLE” for a Medicare funded ambulatory sleep study, “WITHOUT THREE REQUISITE CRITERIA”:
- A completed “STOPBANG” assessment with a score of 4 or greater
- A completed ESS (Epworth Sleep Score) with a score of 8 or greater
- A completed referral – which must be personally signed by the referring practitioner
STOP BANG QUESTIONNAIRE:
- Snore: Do they snore loudly?
- Tired: Do they feel tired (sleepy or fatigues) during the day)
- Observed: Have they been observed to stop breathing during their sleep?
- Pressure: Do they present with elevated blood pressure (when untreated)?
- BMI: Do they present with a Body Mass Index greater than 35?
- Age: Are they ages 50 years or more?
- Neck: Do they have a neck circumference greater than 40cm?
- Gender: Are they male?
EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE
Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate score for each situation.
Score: Would never dose = 0 Slight chance of dozing = 1 Moderate chance of dozing = 2 High chance of dozing = 3
- Sitting and reading
- Watching television
- Sitting inactive in a public place (a theatre or meeting)
- As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break
- Sitting and talking to someone
- Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol
- In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in the traffic
