Coordinated program between primary care and sleep unit for the management of obstructive sleep apnea

Altres ajuts: The authors thank Marta Pulido, MD for editing the manuscript and editorial assistance. This study is supported by the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), the Catalan Pneumology Society (SOCAP), and a grant from Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS) (PI 14/01985).The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a work model in the primary health-care setting for identifying patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) based on clinical variables and an ambulatory sleep monitoring study. After screening, patients with mild-moderate OSAHS could be managed by primary care physicians, whereas those identified with severe OSAHS would be referred to specialists from sleep units for starting specific treatment. The proposed model does not move the entire health-care process to a generally overburdened primary care level and favors the coordinated work and the necessary flexibility to adapt the model to challenges and perspectives of OSAHS