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DOT Department of Transportation Home Sleep Test


$695 Sleep Test & Diagnosis


DOT BART Sleep test truck in mountains
Are you a DOT driver or affiliated driver and need to be tested for Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Occupational Sleep Apnea is a hot topic lately, and for a very good reason. Though it can be a hassle to be tested, and at times difficult to receive treatment, it is important for your health and safety to be properly screened.

A year or so back, when DOT started requiring truck drivers (who are considered to be in the high risk group of sleep apnea) to be properly screened by a sleep physician (usually at their own cost!), we put together a simple, low cost, take home sleep test system, and partnered with board-certified sleep physicians.

How long does a Home Sleep Test take?


DOT Home Sleep Study ARES Sleep Apnea Home Test
We can usually get it done for you the same day or within a couple of days. The test itself usually only takes one night. You come into our office for a brief training, we set the system up for your head measurements, and then you take it home to sleep. The next morning, all you have to do is drop the system off at our office and we’ll do the rest.

Our sleep doctors will analyze your raw data, make a diagnosis, and issue an official report within 24-48 hours. If you do have sleep apnea, they will make a treatment recommendation for you. If needed, we will refer you to the appropriate doctor.

Why do I have to take a Sleep Test?


DOT Sleep Test Truck Drivers Freeway Highway at dusk
Commercial Drivers License holders are held to a much different standard than general drivers. For CDL holders who have moderate to severe sleep apnea, the condition can interfere with safe driving, and they can be disqualified for a DOT medical card. What is difficult about this screening is that many screening agencies base it on indicators such as body mass index (BMI) and neck size.

While these are generally predictors of obstructive sleep apnea, they are not always accurate; a sleep test is. This is why any driver who shows signs, or who has any of the indicators of sleep apnea, is required to be properly screened.


If I have Sleep Apnea, What do I do?


DOT Home Sleep Study Center for Bay Area
The good news is that Obstructive Sleep Apnea is very treatable. And we can usually get you treatment in a very short period of time and quickly get you back on the job. Depending on the severity of your sleep apnea, we offer you treatment - from CPAP positive pressure machines to sleep apnea oral appliances and mouth guards, or we refer you out for other suitable treatments. Once you have been properly screened and diagnosed, we’ll find the right treatment for you.

How does a Home Sleep Test Work?


While there are a few home sleep study systems available now, we work with the ARES monitor from WaterMark Medical. The ARES home sleep system measures a number of critical components of your sleep cycles, such as blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, airflow, respiratory effort, snoring levels, head movement and position, etc.

All of these measurements are made while you sleep, and are used by our sleep physician to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea. While a home sleep study cannot be used to rule out central sleep apnea (CSA) or periodic limb movement syndrome and other sleep disorders, it is a great way to verify if your snoring and fatigue are symptoms of sleep apnea.

Does Medical Insurance Cover a Home Sleep Study?


Yes, but not always for DOT testing. Medicare and many medical insurance carriers recognize a home sleep study as an accurate way to rule out obstructive sleep apnea. As a result, they are starting to cover this expense. If you have any questions around your medical insurance or Medicare coverage, please give us a call. We’d be happy to take a look for you. However, if you don’t have medical insurance or if your plan will not cover this (very common for DOT testing), we have a low price testing and treatment to get you back on track.

Taking a Home Sleep Study Test


Below is a short video on the ARES home sleep apnea test system. ARES is recognized as the industry leader in home diagnostic testing for OSA. It is also recognized by most sleep physicians and medical insurance companies as the most accurate and easy to use system. Finally, Medicare recognizes the ARES home sleep test system as a better way to get an accurate measurement of sleep since, you are sleeping in your own bed, in your own house.



Scheduling a Home Sleep Study


It's easy to set up a DOT home sleep study with our office. We work with multiple board certified sleep physicians in the Bay Area to evaluate and interpret your sleep test results, as well as provide you with the medical diagnosis and referral forms. If you have medical insurance, we can usually get in-network coverage for you in just a few days. We also offer a home sleep study for patients without medical insurance coverage or Medicare plan. Set up and training only takes about an hour. Once we have the data, it usually takes our sleep physicians a few days to interpret your results.

Treat Sleep Apnea & Snoring Without a CPAP Machine


Would you like to set up a DOT Home Sleep Study appointment?

Or you can always email or call us: (650)-583-5880



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Dr. Sherry Tsai provides DOT home sleep study - ambulatory sleep test - for the Bay Area, Peninsula, Millbrae, San Bruno, Burlingame, and San Mateo