For GPs, specialists & practice staff
Refer a patient to Spirit Sleep & Respiratory
Bulk-billed home sleep studies and respiratory function testing in Kogarah, with reports sent back to you. Here's everything you need to refer.
Services you can refer for
| Service | Billing |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic home sleep study (unattended, adult) | Bulk billed When MBS item 12250 criteria are met |
| Respiratory function testing | Bulk billed For eligible patients with a valid referral |
| Asthma education | [Billing basis to be confirmed] |
| CPAP initiation, mask fitting and troubleshooting | [Fees to be confirmed]. No referral required. |
Medicare criteria for direct GP referral (home sleep study)
For a Medicare-rebated diagnostic home sleep study, the patient should be an adult with a high probability of symptomatic moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Direct GP referral requires an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 8 or more plus one of:
- STOP-Bang score of 3 or more
- OSA50 score of 5 or more
- a high-risk score on the Berlin Questionnaire
Patients who don't meet these thresholds may still be eligible following a professional attendance with a qualified adult sleep medicine practitioner or consultant respiratory physician who determines a study is needed.
Please check the current item descriptor and explanatory notes on MBS Online, as criteria and frequency limits change from time to time.
When a home study may not be suitable
Consider a sleep physician review or an attended laboratory study instead if your patient has:
- significant cardiorespiratory disease (e.g. moderate to severe COPD, heart failure)
- a neuromuscular condition, or suspected hypoventilation
- a suspected sleep disorder other than OSA (e.g. narcolepsy, parasomnia)
- significant cognitive impairment or physical disability without carer support to manage the equipment
- a previous technically inadequate home study
If you're unsure, call us and we'll help work out the most appropriate pathway.
How to refer
- Complete our referral form, or your own referral including the screening scores, relevant history, medications, your provider number, signature and date.
- Send it by:
- Secure messaging: [HealthLink / Medical-Objects ID to be confirmed]
- Fax: [number to be confirmed]
- Email: clinic@spiritsleeprespiratory.com.au [confirm this inbox is suitable for clinical information]
- Or give it to the patient to bring with them
- We contact the patient to book. You don't need to arrange the appointment.
Reports and results
Sleep studies are reported by [name, qualification of reporting physician]. Reports are sent to the referring doctor, usually within [X] working days, by [secure messaging / fax]. Where results suggest a patient needs urgent review, we'll contact you directly.
For CPAP patients, with the patient's consent, we can send therapy data summaries to support your follow-up.
Referrer FAQs
Can referrals be addressed to the clinic rather than a named doctor?
Yes. Sleep study referrals can be addressed to Spirit Sleep & Respiratory, provided they include the relevant clinical information and are signed and dated.
My patient doesn't meet the questionnaire thresholds. What are the options?
They may be eligible after assessment by a sleep or respiratory physician. Otherwise, a privately billed study may be possible. Call us to discuss. [Private fee to be confirmed.]
How quickly can patients be seen?
[Typical wait time to be confirmed.] Call us if a patient needs to be seen sooner.
Do you see children?
[Clinic to confirm.] Home sleep studies under item 12250 are for adults.