S.E.T.U.P. FOR SUCCESS
My favorite acronym for training dental practices in the best methods for improving their dental sleep medicine programs is SETUP. This stands for Screen, Educate, Test, Understand, and Present.
In our May newsletter, we covered S and E when we talked about screening patients and educating staff on the best ways to initiate conversations about sleep health. This month we’ll look at the finer points to keep in mind when improving your sleep testing procedures. S – Screen – Screen patients for sleep breathing disorders.
E – Educate – Educate staff about sleep health conversations with patients and, in turn, educate patients.
T – Test – Initiate sleep testing or obtain a copy of a pre-existing sleep study.
U – Understand – Discuss the implications of the study with the patient and make them understand the risks and benefits of treatment.
P – Present – Present an alternative to physician-recommended sleep health solutions.
Educating staff and screening patients is an important first step, but our ability to help our patients can hit a brick wall if a patient does not follow through and get tested. Patients who have never been sleep tested require your team having the right strategies and protocols in place, as many patients will be in denial that any problem exists. Patients with a prior diagnosis who are not complying with physician recommended treatments can be a different story, however, and may have some prior awareness that can help as we continue the conversation and education. Read the rest of this article here. President, MedicalBillingForDentists.com & Dental Sleep Med Systems
