Medical Technology Keeps Patients Home

Tools

By Madelyn Jarrett

Story Published: Jun 24, 2009 at 10:00 PM MST

Story Updated: Jun 24, 2009 at 8:58 PM MST

BILLINGS - New technology is helping patients with sleeping disorders get treatment from the comfort of their own homes. Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea can now continuously send their sleep data to St. Vincent Healthcare's Sleep Center by modem while they're sleeping at home.

The new technology enables technicians to recognize problems and even correct them without making the patient travel to Billings for an appointment. It's an especially useful tool for those in rural communities. "This patient from Baker was very impressed. Not too long ago we would have had to have him drive here and look at the data and when you don't have to do that you can imagine how elated he would be," said Dr. Thomas Thigpen with the Sleep Center.

Doctors say the improved technology leads to better outcomes for patients struggling with the sleep disorders because technicians are able to identify problems earlier.

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