How One Sleep Center Flags High-Risk Apnea Patients, Raises Its Volume, and Lowers Hospital Readmissions By implementing an automatic referral system in its EMR software, Parrish Healthcare Center creates a win-win for its sleep center and affiliated hospital, all while better managing patient health. By Kristina Weaver, RPSGT T Kristina Weaver, RPSGT 26 • sleepreviewmag.com SR_26_27_EMR.indd 26 oday healthcare is no longer a fee-for-service operation. Providers are being graded on how they can improve patients’ quality of life, reduce exacerbations, reduce emergency department visits and/or hospitalizations, reduce expenditures for medical care, and allow patients to lead more active and productive lifestyles. In this new way of thinking, sleep centers need to adapt to survive. We need to start thinking of ourselves as part of an integrated part of our patient’s healthcare. Formerly, as a paramedic, I noticed most of our heart attack calls were between 4 am and 5 am . I never understood why until I started working in a sleep center and realized that this corresponds to the time of a patient’s last and longest REM cycle, when sleep apnea becomes significantly worse. The patient’s oxygen saturations fall and make him or her more susceptible to arrhythmias, myocardial infarc- tions, and premature cardiac death. Our hospital is presenting many process-improve- ment plans to reduce readmissions, shorten length of stay, and set goals to better manage our patient care. The sleep center can help. The sleep center can help save the hospital money and at the same time increase referrals. JANUARY 2016 12/30/15 10:02 AM