| | December 20209UTLOOKHealthcare Tech too loudly, with patients themselves oblivious to the snoring. This is about to change, too, as patients will soon be warned about such problems by their devices.On the consumer software side, apps are now being used by sleep providers for assistance in the management of insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders and even sleep apnea. In addition to the impact of wearables, sleep medicine as a field is also changing dramatically to better incorporate remote physiologic monitoring.The non-invasive ventilation devices we use to treat sleep apnea, such as CPAP and BiPAP, have for years come with integrated modems capable of sending us real-time data on patients' use of the device, breathing, breathing patterns, response to therapy and therapy information. Initially, this was intended to assist in tracking compliance with CPAP therapy, but has improved to add other data points in the last few years. We now have the capability to track and respond to how our patients are doing with more actionable information and without the need of a patient to visit our clinic. Payers have recognized the advantages of using such technology in improving patient outcomes and, over the last three years, have created payment for such services. At the same time, payment for other testing modalities continues to decline.These capabilities, coupled with telemedicine, have assisted many sleep labs in making it through the difficulties presented by the coronavirus pandemic. And I truly believe this will set apart the best sleep medicine centers of the future. A successful sleep center will be able to seamlessly incorporate new aspects of technology to achieve the best care possible at the lowest cost to our patients. The most useful tools I expect to see over the next few years will focus on such integration. It is important to note that most sleep centers will be "stuck" on the ways of the past and will require assistance in transitioning to this new future. These changes are, again, a reminder that practically every aspect of sleep medicine is in some way dependent on technology. There will always be opportunities for those willing to embrace it early, as well as for those in the business of helping struggling labs cope with these changes. HTOver the last decade, wearables and phone apps started to play a significant role in patients' understanding (and sometimes misunderstanding) of their sleep health
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