We at Sleep Cure Solutions get frequent calls from patient’s who have been advised Sleep Study by their GP/Doctor. The most common question asked is “How much will the Sleep Study cost ?This is part of an exercise they embark upon trying to check and compare the cost with various service providers .The answer to this question is so baffling that it leaves them even more confused. We regularly get patients who are quoted anywhere from 2,000 to 20,000 Rupees for a Sleep Study !!!
To get them out of this dilemma and to Empower them I am elaborating on some key points about the Costs of Sleep Studies.
– At present time none of the health insurances in India cover the cost of a sleep study thus it is mostly out of pocket expense.
– There are different levels of Sleep Studies and all sleep studies are not the same.
– A level 1 sleep study (Polysomnography) is an in lab sleep study. The costs of this can vary depending upon the hospital it is being done and the cost in Delhi /Gurgaon/NCR vary between Rs 15000 to 20000. Although it has been the ‘gold standard’ for long but advancements in technology and the portability many patients may not require and can avoid having to sleep in a lab. However patients with co-morbidities should undergo in-lab study.
– Home sleep test (HST) – these are gaining popularity around the world. It should be emphasized that all HST’s are not the same.
– A comprehensive Home Sleep Study (attended level 2 study) is the most popular level of testing. This involves a trained technician putting on the leads and sensors and observing the sleep in your bedroom. The titration is done wherever required. This sort of testing is not possible in the West where it is not possible to have techs staying overnight thus does not find much mention in the medical literature. Sleep Cure Solutions team has the experience of over 3000 such tests and have mastered this testing pathway. These tests typically costs between Rs 8000 – Rs 12000.
– Level 3 sleep tests (unattended level 3 HST) are self- administered (sometimes techs may be asked to administer this just to jack up the costs) sleep tests to rule in Sleep Apnea and are done where the Sleep Apnea is very obvious and there are time and cost constraints. There is no monitoring of sleep (no EEG, EMG, EOG) but just the cardio-respiratory parameters during sleep. There is no provision for titration in this. These tests cost between Rs 2000 to Rs 5000.
As with any other modality it is very important to understand & ensure some of the basics and things like who is recommending the test, who is going to do it, what are the credentials of the Sleep Physician etc.Unfortunately the Sleep Medicine Healthcare Sector is unregulated and Vendors (suppliers of CPAP machines) are doing Sleep studies left right and centre often at throw away prices without really understanding the science and leaving behind a trail of unsatisfied customers. They often have ‘fixed reports’ all advising buying a CPAP machine
As an empowered customer it is your duty and right to get the best service that your money can buy but that would mean doing your homework.
Sleep Cure Solutions with it’s unique business model of utilizing the strength of our backend operations( helping subsidize our local work) is able to provide services at about 30% less cost to the patients. We have been at the forefront of training and are playing a pioneering role in the emergence of Sleep Medicine. The service is led by an American Board Certified Sleep Physician who has been mentoring physicians in this region. We feel happy and privileged to pass on the benefits of our business model, and our expertise to our patients.
Author :Dr Prerana Garg is the Medical Director at Sleep Cure Solutions. She believes that by doing full disclosure and transparency about everything we do in our practice–especially when it comes to cost we can build trust with our patients and we should not shy away from it.
