Respiratory & Sleep Specialists

Respiratory vs. sleep medicine

Many respiratory physicians manage both lung conditions and sleep disorders, since the two frequently overlap — untreated sleep apnoea can worsen some respiratory conditions and vice versa. Where the two are managed separately, a respiratory physician handles conditions like asthma, COPD and chronic cough, while a sleep physician focuses on diagnosing and treating sleep-related breathing disorders specifically.

Sleep studies and Medicare

A sleep study can be done at home (a portable monitor you wear overnight) or in a sleep laboratory (an overnight stay with more detailed monitoring), depending on what your specialist judges is needed. Medicare rebates apply to sleep studies that meet specific referral and clinical criteria; ask directly whether the study being arranged will attract a rebate and what the out-of-pocket cost will be, since this varies by study type and provider.

Referral and Medicare

A GP referral lasts 12 months by default and is often extended for chronic conditions like asthma or COPD needing ongoing specialist input. Lung function tests (spirometry) are frequently done in the specialist’s own rooms as part of the consultation, while sleep studies are usually arranged through a separate sleep laboratory or home-monitoring provider.

What to bring

Bring your referral, a list of current medications including any inhalers and how often you use them, and — if sleep apnoea is suspected — information from a partner about snoring, breathing pauses or restlessness during sleep, since this is often more informative than the patient’s own account. Bring any previous lung function test results.

Questions worth asking

• Will the sleep study or lung function test be Medicare-rebated, and what will it cost?
• What is a home study versus a laboratory study likely to show, and which do I need?
• If treatment (such as CPAP) is recommended, what does it cost and does it require ongoing supplies?
• How often should this condition be reviewed?
• What symptoms should prompt an earlier follow-up?