What to expect at your sleep apnoea and snoring assessment consultation
A guide to your first sleep apnoea and snoring assessment appointment with a sleep specialist in New Zealand.
Before your appointment
Most New Zealand sleep specialist practices send a new-patient form before your first visit. Complete this in advance so the sleep specialist can read it before you arrive — it includes your medical history, current medications, allergies and the specific concern you want assessed.
- • A list of current medications and dosages
- • Any recent imaging (x-ray, MRI, CT) or specialist letters
- • Your ACC claim number if your problem follows an injury
- • Your health-insurance details if you have cover (Southern Cross, nib etc.)
- • Comfortable clothing that lets the sleep specialist assess the affected area
During the consultation
Duration: Initial specialist consultations are typically 30–45 minutes; sleep studies are overnight recordings; CPAP setup appointments take 60 minutes.
Assessment of sleep-disordered breathing typically starts with a screening questionnaire (the STOP-BANG or Epworth Sleepiness Scale), followed by either a home sleep apnoea test (a portable overnight recording you wear at home) or an in-lab polysomnography study. Treatment depends on severity and anatomy, and may include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, a custom-fitted oral appliance from a dental sleep practitioner, weight management, positional therapy or upper-airway surgery.
Questions worth asking
- • What is your working diagnosis, and what else are you considering?
- • What is the recommended treatment plan and how long should it take?
- • What does the evidence show about success rates for this approach?
- • What is the total expected cost — including imaging, equipment or follow-ups?
- • What should improve, and by when, before we change approach?
- • When should I contact you between visits, and how?
Verifying your sleep specialist
Sleep specialist services in New Zealand are medical specialty work regulated by the Medical Council of New Zealand. Sleep medicine in New Zealand is provided by respiratory physicians, ENT surgeons and dental sleep practitioners working under specialist vocational scopes; sleep studies and CPAP titration are usually overseen by sleep technologists supervised by a vocationally-registered specialist. For diagnosis, look for a clinic where studies are reported by a vocationally-registered respiratory or sleep physician (verifiable on the MCNZ register). For CPAP supply, ask whether the device is a current-generation auto-adjusting machine and whether the clinic offers data downloads, mask-fit reviews and at least 30 days to trial the therapy. For oral appliances, look for dentists with postgraduate dental sleep medicine training. You can search the public register at mcnz.org.nz at any time.
Plan your sleep apnoea and snoring assessment treatment
Related care
Other health services frequently considered alongside sleep apnoea and snoring assessment:
Sleep apnoea and snoring assessment: questions
What happens at a sleep apnoea and snoring assessment consultation?
Assessment of sleep-disordered breathing typically starts with a screening questionnaire (the STOP-BANG or Epworth Sleepiness Scale), followed by either a home sleep apnoea test (a portable overnight recording you wear at home) or an in-lab polysomnography study. Treatment depends on severity and anatomy, and may include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, a custom-fitted oral appliance from a dental sleep practitioner, weight management, positional therapy or upper-airway surgery.
How long does a sleep apnoea and snoring assessment consultation take?
Initial specialist consultations are typically 30–45 minutes; sleep studies are overnight recordings; CPAP setup appointments take 60 minutes.
What should I bring to a sleep apnoea and snoring assessment consultation?
Bring a list of your current medications, any imaging or specialist letters, your ACC claim number if relevant, your private health insurance details, and a list of questions you want to discuss. Wear clothing that allows the practitioner to assess the affected area.
Will I need a referral?
Most private sleep clinics accept self-referrals, although a GP referral provides useful background and is required if you are seeking partial public funding. NZTA medical assessments for commercial drivers usually need a GP referral.