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18Jul

HealthPathways collaboration improves health outcomes for sleep disorders

Published on 18 Jul, 2024 | Return|

 

InsomniaSMSML

 

Around 15% of Australian adults have chronic insomnia and 20% suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). New pathways for these conditions developed in collaboration with the Australasian Sleep Association have been developed to provide GPs and other primary care clinicians with better resources to manage patients with these common sleep disorders. 

Left untreated, insomnia and OSA can reduce quality of life for patients and increase their risk of mental and physical health problems. It’s vital that primary care clinicians have access to local evidence-based information, resources, diagnostics, treatments, and referral options for sleep health problems.  

Associate Professor Alan Young, Chair of the GP Education Subcommittee at ASA, says: “OSA and insomnia are the most common sleep disorders encountered in general practice. This collaboration between Melbourne PHNs and the Australasian Sleep Association provides evidence-based approaches to the assessment and management of these conditions designed specifically for primary care clinicians, incorporating local resources and the latest primary care sleep guidelines.”   

HealthPathways Clinical Editor Dr Adrian Elliot-Smith worked closely with the ASA to develop the pathways, “The challenge was really to start from a large amount of information in a way that makes it useful for GPs to fit into their workflow. This needs to go beyond summarising the text and really make it work for GPs.” 

The pathways on Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in Adults and Insomnia in Adults connect GPs to insomnia and sleep apnoea resources available across the Australian health system. This integrated, collaborative approach gives clinicians access to the latest primary care guidelines, which are continually updated by the ASA. 

The insomnia pathway provides evidence-based information on primary care assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referral options. For example, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi) is now a first-line treatment for many patients. Therapy based on CBTi principles can often be provided in primary care by GPs or practice nurses. 

OSA often leads to impaired daytime function, an increased risk of motor-vehicle accidents, and mental and physical health problems. New Medicare Benefits Schedule items allow GPs to directly refer patients with suspected OSA for an overnight sleep study. The sleep apnoea pathways provide primary care clinicians with the most up-to-date information on assessment, consequences, diagnoses, treatment, and referral pathways for the condition and its associated comorbidities.  

Professor Nick Zwar is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University and co-led the group that developed the ASA guidelines for GPs. Professor Zwar says,  “Sleep problems, in particular insomnia and OSA, are common in general practice and these updated pathways, and the evidence-based resource they link with, will help GPs provide the best care for their patients.”   

HealthPathways Clinical Editor Dr Adrian Elliot-Smith says the ultimate outcome is that both insomnia and OSA can be managed in the community.  

“Sleep disorders are a significant health burden and this pathway ultimately gives GPs the tools to manage a majority of them in primary care, using cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for insomnia and careful use and interpretation of sleep studies in OSA. We want patients to turn up and receive contemporary, evidence-based approaches implemented by their GP or GP colleague in the same or nearby practice rather than through referral to specialists.” 


More information  

If you’re a member of the HealthPathways Community and would like to find out more about these pathways, please contact your community success manager.   

If you’d like to know more about HealthPathways, or if your health jurisdiction hasn’t yet joined the HealthPathways Community, please:  

  • See HealthPathways Global for an overview  
  • Email info@healthpathwaysglobal.org or phone:  
  • Within the United Kingdom: +44 20 3519 1964  
  • Within Australia: +61 7 3559 2744  
  • Within New Zealand: +64 3 595 2830  

Pathway links for reference