Sleep Studies at Home has improved access to testing for children with suspected sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) by allowing sleep studies to be completed safely in the home rather than in hospital.
Developed by Hunter New England Local Health District, the service combined technician-led appointments, family education, specialist review and streamlined clinical care pathways to provide accessible, specialist-supported care at home. To date, 904 home oximetry studies have been completed, with patient satisfaction exceeding 95% and a technical repeat rate below 2%. The service reached priority populations, with 27% of children identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and 40% living outside Greater Newcastle. Importantly, 45.4% of surveyed families reported their child would not otherwise have accessed sleep testing without the service.
The model has also improved the patient journey by becoming a key part of the multidisciplinary Ear Nose and Throat SDB pathway. Children can attend specialist appointments with testing already completed, supporting earlier, coordinated decision-making and helping redirect low-risk children to non-tertiary surgical centres.
The model has expanded into regional services, showing a sustainable, scalable approach that improves patient experience, reduces inequity, and transforms paediatric sleep care through service redesign rather than hospital expansion.
