Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2020

12 ROOM REST for By Andrea Nagel About one-third of adults in the U.S. have a sleep disorder. It may be sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome or any other of the numerous conditions preventing restful sleep. To help meet the needs of these patients, Kootenai Health recently expanded the hospital’s sleep lab, increasing the space from four to six beds and updating the existing rooms. Each room has a modern, hotel-like atmosphere with new furnishings, TVs, individual heating and air-conditioning units, private bathrooms, and luxury bedding. “We wanted our patients to feel comfortable and at home while they’re here,” said Dave Canoy, Kootenai Clinic Sleep Medicine supervisor. “The rooms are larger and more customizable to meet our patients’ needs. We also took extra measures to ensure the rooms are more quiet and dark enough to conduct daytime studies.” To all agoodnight While patients are surely benefitting from the added comfort and modern aesthetics, Sleep Medicine employees are also enjoying the benefits of the new, bigger space. A brand-new control room with adjustable desks and computer monitors and easy-to-access supply storage help employees make it through the wee hours of sleep monitoring. “Everything is brighter and better feeling when I come to work,” said Ray Meece, Kootenai Health Sleep Lab technician. “Our new workspace design is more ergonomic and comfortable, and we’re hearing great things from our patients.” While the facility improvements help create a calm, inviting atmosphere, the expanded space is helping to serve a bigger goal for the Sleep Medicine team. “Kootenai’s Sleep Medicine program is the most comprehensive in the region,” Dave said. “Visiting the Sleep Lab or using one of the take-home machines is just the first step in the process. Doing the sleep study helps us to diagnose the issue. Then we see those patients in the clinic to work on a treatment plan. Historically, there have been times when we’ve been booked out about two months. This expansion will help us accommodate patients more quickly.” Kootenai Health’s expanded Sleep Lab diagnoses sleep disorders more quickly and comfortably