Sleep Disorder Program
Related topics: Conditions and diseases Sleep disorders
The UBC Hospital Sleep Disorder Program was established in 1981 and is the provincial referral centre for complex sleep disorders. We diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders and provide access to both home and in-hospital sleep monitoring.
What to expect
The UBC Sleep Disorder Program is a multi-disciplinary program including psychiatrists, respirologists, a neurologist, and educator.
A sleep physician can effectively treat chronic fatigue, insomnia, sleep apnea and narcolepsy. A sleep study (polysomnogram) is a sophisticated, in-depth diagnostic tool to help you and your physician better understand the types and severity of your sleep challenges. The results will be used to develop an appropriate and effective sleep management program to address your conditions.
The study is conducted in a comfortable room and bed in the sleep lab, where you stay overnight and captures essential information about the characteristics of your sleep, including some or all of the following:
- Brain waves
- Eye movements
- Muscle tension
- Heartbeat
- Breathing patterns and effort
- Leg movements
- Blood oxygen level
How to access
-
Check eligibility
Our clinic serves people aged 16 and over.
- We accept referrals from all of BC and the Yukon for patients with complex sleep disorders requiring psychiatric or neurologic assessment and treatment.
- We accept patients from the Vancouver Coastal Health region requiring sleep apnea assessment and treatment.
-
Get a referral
Talk with your primary care provider for a referral to the program. A referral by a physician, nurse practitioner, or specialist is required.
Have your primary care provider complete either the Requisition for Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT) and Referral Request - Sleep Disorder Consultation forms and fax to (604) 822-9744
Requisition for Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT)
Referral Request - Sleep Disorder Consultation
These forms will be reviewed by both our CPAP coordinator and our physicians on a daily basis:
- To identify patients requiring urgent assistance
- To fast track high probability obstructive sleep apnea patients for home studies.
- To ensure patients are assigned to the correct specialist (respiratory, psychiatry or neurology).
To speak with one of our staff directly, please call (604) 822-7606.
-
Get an appointment
Appointments will be booked following our triage process, and your primary care provider will be notified of the appointment date and time.
Please also review the Preparing for your overnight sleep study information before your appointment.
Sleep research
The Sleep Disorders Program has a well-established research program into different aspects of sleep and sleep disorders funded by provincial and national agencies. We are currently participating in various national Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) clinical trials and are a key member of the CIHR Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Network (CSCN).
In a recent independent review, the Sleep Disorders Program was ranked as the primary clinic in the world for our research work in some aspects of sleep-disordered breathing.
Examples of research projects:
- Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine Guideline on Preoperative Screening and Assessment of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Obstructive sleep apnea and frequency of occupational injury
- Development of a patient decision aid prototype for adults with obstructive sleep apnea
- Treatment of Central Sleep Apnea with Adaptive Servoventilation in Chronic Heart Failure
- Impact of work schedules on sleep duration of critical care nurses
Leon Judah Blackmore Centre for Sleep Disorders at UBC Hospital
Hours of operation
- Monday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed