Sleep Medicine cares for and treats people with sleep disorders due to issues with breathing and airways.
About this service
Our Sleep Medicine service is part of a larger service that includes Respiratory Medicine and the Respiratory and Sleep diagnostic Laboratories.
Our key areas of focus are:
- General Sleep Medicine
- Sleep Apnea treatment
- Sleep Investigations
- General Respiratory
- Respiratory Function Testing.
Who we care for
We offer these services for free if you have a Medicare Card or an Asylum Seeker Card.
People who are not eligible will have to pay for services.
How to access this service
Your GP or medical practitioner will organise for you to access this service.
One of our doctors will review and triage your referral once we receive it.
We will write to both you and your referring doctor to let you know we have received your referral.
Some conditions are more urgent than others, so for this reason, you may be placed on a waiting list.
One of our team members will get in touch with you to book your initial appointment based on your triage category and place in the queue.
We’ll send you a letter with your appointment details, once it is booked. We’ll also send you a reminder two weeks before your appointment. If you are registered for SMS, you will receive an SMS reminder three days before your appointment.
What to expect
Your treating doctor may refer you us to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of severe snoring, narcolepsy, sleep apnoea and other sleep related airway obstruction issues.
To assist in diagnosis of an issue, you may be referred for a Sleep Study.
In some cases, you may trial 'CPAP therapy' to help treat any sleep-related airway obstruction issues. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure and can help you breathe while you sleep. A CPAP machine uses a hose and mask or nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure.
Open Access Sleep Study
You may be eligible to have a sleep study before you see one of our sleep physicians. If we think you might be eligible, we’ll send you a letter with a survey you’ll need to complete and return to us.
What to bring to your appointment
- Medicare card
- Any letters or correspondence from your GP
- Health Care Card and/or concession card (if you have one)
- Private health insurance card (if applicable/if you want to use it)
- List of medicines you are currently taking (or the boxes), including medicines you have bought without a prescription, such as herbal supplements and vitamins
- Reading glasses (if required)
Where we’re located
- Consultant Clinics, Building 1, Level 2 (ground floor) and Building 1, Level 8, Canberra Hospital
- Sleep Laboratory, Building 1, Level 6, Canberra Hospital.
We have directions to Canberra Hospital.
Resources
Information for referrers
Please see Community HealthPathways for detailed referral criteria and information.
Referral options:
- Phone: (02) 5124 2066
- Acute phone: (02) 5124 2000 (on call registrar via switch)
- Fax: (02) 5124 2604
- SmartForm.