Telemedicine in respiratory sleep medicine: COVID-19 pandemic unmasks the need for a process-oriented, replicable approach for implementation in clinical routine

摘要

According to new epidemiological data, sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is considered a widespread disease (1). SDB is considerably underdiagnosed and associated with substantial morbidity and mortality as well as risks for the society (e.g., accidents in traffic and at work). Due to the imbalance between SDB-prevalence and limited care capacities, high numbers of untreated patients suffering from SDB are suspected. If diagnosed, patients with relevant SDB should be treated according to actual guidelines (2). Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is regarded as first line therapy with the utmost scientific evidence (3). Regular PAP-treatment is an essential prerequisite for short- and long-term positive effects on subjective and objective outcomes. In order to ensure PAP-adherence, educational, behavioral and troubleshooting interventions have been investigated.