The Sleep Navigator is a clinical professional responsible for the seamless coordination of care for patients with complex sleep disorders. This role serves as a patient advocate, educator, and liaison between patients, providers, and the multidisciplinary sleep care team. The Sleep Navigator ensures continuity of care from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up, with a focus on improving patient outcomes, compliance, and satisfaction.
Essential Functions:
Patient Communication & Education
- Deliver results of complex sleep studies to patients in a clear and compassionate manner.
- Provide targeted education and support to patients who are non-compliant with therapy.
Assist patients in understanding their diagnosis, treatment options, and care plans.
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Care Coordination
- Coordinate care for patients with complex sleep apnea (e.g., ASV, supplemental oxygen, home ventilation) and rare sleep disorders (e.g., narcolepsy, parasomnias, nightmare disorder, sleep-related seizures, RBD, sleep state misperception)
- Facilitate transitions of care between the Sleep Center and Primary Care Providers (PCPs).
- Collaborate with the Sleep Center Supervisor to engage PCPs in long-term management of stable sleep apnea patients.
- Help transition patients back to their PCPs
Inspire Program Management
- Oversee/manage Inspire medical device scheduling, interrogation, programming, DISE planning, implantation coordination, and post-implantation follow-up sleep studies.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for Inspire-related patient care and provider communication.
Research & Quality Improvement
- Participate in clinical research activities and assist with patient recruitment and data collection.
- Ability to perform duties of research coordinator as necessary
- Track and report sleep lab metrics, including compliance, patient satisfaction, and treatment outcomes.
Support quality improvement initiatives and contribute to process optimization.
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Collaboration & Leadership
- Work closely with the Medical Director to ensure clinical alignment and oversight.
- Obtain Medical Director approval for care plans and program development.
- Serve as a resource for sleep technologists, physicians, and administrative staff.
