Most patients who come to Sleep Health have chronic sleep and fatigue disorders. These disorders often cause serious disturbances in alertness, energy level, metabolism, immune function, mood and cardiovascular health. Proper evaluation and management may involve a process requiring more than one visit and is best handled with a coordinated professional team that focuses on you as an individual with unique qualities, complexities and needs.
We at Sleep Health emphasize three fundamentals: comprehensive evaluation, innovative care, and patient education
At your initial visit you will be assigned a medical assistant(MA), aphysician assistant(PA), and a physician(MD) who will comprise your healthcare team for each visit.
Your MA is a specialist in sleep problems and manages the electronic medical record and paperwork, greets you in the waiting room, obtains vital signs, provides written materials for education, coordinates prescriptions, and responds to your phone calls. Learn more about medical assistants
Your PA is also a specialist in sleep and wake disorders, having completed intensive training and with extensive experience in Sleep Medicine. He or she will obtain your complete Sleep Medicine history and perform a physical examination, order and process diagnostic tests, participate in medical decision making, and coordinate your medical care with your other health care providers. Learn more about physician assistants
Your physician is a board certified sleep medicine specialist. He personally oversees and guides your care. He will join you in some of your visits and will always review your case and your progress. Learn more about sleep medicine physicians
This team approach is superior to traditional medical care. It provides a more in depth evaluation of you and your concerns. There is more time for education and for coordination of your care. Further, it allows for greater flexibility in scheduling, including evening and weekend visits. The team model is innovative and is the most responsible way to provide competent specialized care while offering both efficiency and convenience.
Special Programs
Some patients do best in one of our specialized programs. These are designed for those who need even more focused expertise, usually because of the severity of symptoms or the complexity of therapies.
Circadian Rhythm Disorder Program
Chronic Insomnia Program
Non-invasive Ventilation Program
Chronic Hypersomnia Program
Restless Legs Syndrome Program
Alternatives to CPAP Program
Congestive Heart Failure Program
Pediatric Insomnia Program
For Our Patients Traveling Long Distances
For those traveling long distances we can help coordinate your Sleep Health appointments, lodging, car rental and other needs to minimize your costs and get your sleep medicine evaluation completed both efficiently and thoroughly. This process begins by calling our manager, Sheri, at 269-324-0799. She will arrange a phone interview with you and obtain your medical records. We will then work out a schedule for your visit.
Bariatric Surgery Preoperative Assessment
Sleep apnea is a condition that compromises breathing during sleep. Oxygen levels fall and blood pressure can rise as a result, putting stress on the cardiovascular system. In some cases it causes heart failure, dangerous rhythm disturbances of the heart, and brain injury. Sleep apnea exists in about 80% of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Most patients are unaware that they have it. Therefore all bariatric surgery patients are tested for it before surgery to prevent complications during the operation and early postoperative recovery.
Sleep apnea disappears or greatly improves with weight loss following surgery. Therefore, sleep apnea treatment can often be discontinued.
We will do our best to provide the most rapid, safe and cost-effective care for you.
The traditional sleep apnea test requires spending a night in a sleep center. This comprehensive study checks for many sleep conditions, requires sophisticated equipment and technologists, and is expensive. However, most insurance covers this. An alternative is Watch_PAT. This test is performed at home. Watch_PAT is less comprehensive and is only accurate in evaluating sleep apnea and other causes of low oxygen. It is not appropriate for other sleep disorders. We offer both the traditional and Watch_PAT studies and will help determine which would be better for you.g your throat open by inflating it with air through a mask. This is close to 100% effective but can take some time to get used to. Most of our bariatric patients do well with this treatment. Some will need a mild sleeping pill while they adjust to wearing CPAP. We will work with you to make the therapy as pleasant as possible.
The first night of CPAP is usually in the sleep center where the pressure can be adjusted to your individual needs. Typically this can be combined with the traditional diagnostic study for those who choose not to use Watch_PAT. If you have sleep apnea diagnosed by Watch_PAT, you will need to spend a night in a sleep center to begin treatment. We will help you get all the equipment you need and follow up with you before and after surgery until your sleep apnea is resolved and treatment can be safely discontinued.
There are brochures available about sleep apnea and CPAP, Watch_PAT, and traditional sleep center testing.
Dr. Goetting has cared for bariatric patients for over 20 years and is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians.
Please feel free to call us or stop by for any additional information.
Information About Your Sleep Study
Sleep Health wants to make your stay at our sleep center as comfortable as possible. We achieve this goal by providing you with a climate controlled, spacious, and private bedroom and bathroom.We do ask that you follow your normal sleep time routine.
You will be having a polysomnogram. A professional technician will position small sensors on your scalp, face, legs, chest, and abdomen to continuously record brain waves, muscle activity, leg movements, heart rhythms and oxygen levels while you sleep. The sensors and monitoring devices still allow you to move about easily and will not cause you any discomfort. Once the technician has finished applying the sensors you can relax in your room until bedtime. Each room is equipped with a television.
A technician will monitor your sleep from a nearby room. Your sleep information is recorded and scored with the most technologically advanced equipment available. Your sleep study information will then be interpreted by a physician specializing in sleep medicine.All patients are expected to stay in bed for seven hours. The technician will wake you when the test is over. If you need to be awakened at a certain time, or need to leave the sleep lab by a certain time, please notify the technician immediately upon arrival, so that your bedtime can be adjusted accordingly.
Sleep Study Instructions
If you are scheduled for testing at Sleep Health please review the following:
Distractions, such as cell phones, pagers, etc., will need to remain off through the night.
Please feel free to bring comfort items such as a pillow or blanket, but this is not necessary.
Please bring sleeping attire. Women should consider bringing two-piece attire to maintain modesty and to allow for ease of placement of monitoring equipment.
This is an outpatient procedure. Nursing services and medication are not provided, including aspirin, antacids, etc.
Take your regular medication and if needed bring it with you and take it on schedule unless otherwise instructed.
Avoid caffeine after 1:00 p.m.
Please bring your health insurance cards to assist us in billing your insurance correctly.
Please leave all valuables at home.
If you have problems with excessive sleepiness, please have someone drive you to the sleep center.
A shower and towels are available for your use in the morning. Please bring your own toiletries.
Home Sleep Apnea Test
We offer five different types of home sleep testing, so we can choose which one is best for you. The most commonly used device is the Watch_PAT. This accurately assesses obstructive sleep apnea in the comfort and privacy of your home. To learn more about home sleep apnea testing go to Sleep Apnea Home Testing Information
Online Insomnia Treatment
Some patients have found benefit in insomnia treatment via the Internet. This self-help therapy is convenient and inexpensive but is impersonal and won't work for everyone. Here is a site with a basic, affordable course: Online Insomnia Treatment
Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation
We prescribe this form of therapy for appropriate patients. The treatments consist of very low electrical stimulation across the head and is generally done at home. It is FDA approved and requires a prescription. Indications include insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety and depression.
To learn more about Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation go to
CES Information.
