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Barriers in the Sleep Patient Journey: A Patient Perspective (A32014)

Includes a Live In-Person Event on 10/15/2025 at 9:00 AM (CDT)

Key Talking Points:

Title of Talk: “Barriers in the Sleep Patient Journey: A Patient Perspective”

Speaker: Sarah Wahhab, RPSGT – Director of Clinical Outreach, Advanced Sleep Management

Summary: Sleep disorders affect millions of Americans, yet patients face long waits, confusing referral pathways, and inconsistent education. In this engaging session, Sarah Wahhab, a nationally recognized sleep medicine leader with over 20 years of experience, explores how to break down these barriers and transform the patient journey from delayed and fragmented to efficient and patient-centered.

Key Learning Points:

  • Why sleep health is foundational to overall well-being and how delayed care worsens outcomes.
  • The importance of educating both providers and patients about local sleep resources and referral pathways.
  • How specialist shortages and fragmented systems extend wait times—and what can be done now to ease the bottleneck.
  • How empowering providers to initiate testing can shorten time to treatment and improve adherence.
  • Why a well-built sleep program with fast, clear communication dramatically increases patient follow-through.
  • How DMEs can be partners rather than barriers by providing timely setups and meaningful patient education.

 

Takeaways for the Audience: Participants will leave with practical strategies to streamline referrals, strengthen collaboration between stakeholders, and improve patient outcomes—ultimately elevating the perception and impact of sleep medicine in their communities.

Ideal Audience: Healthcare providers, sleep technologists, program administrators, primary care teams, and anyone involved in patient referrals or care coordination within sleep medicine.

Sarah Wahhab, RPSGT

Director of Clinical Outreach, Advanced Sleep Management

Advanced Sleep Management / Baylor, Scott, & White - Sleep Services

Sarah Wahhab, RPSGT

Sarah Wahhab is a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) with over 20 years of experience in sleep medicine. Since earning her credential in 2007, she has held leadership roles including Director of a DME company, Clinical Director, Chief Operating Officer, and now Director of Clinical Outreach at Advanced Sleep Management.

 

In her current role, Sarah oversees the Has Been Evaluated division and partners with practices to strengthen sleep programs across 10 Baylor Scott & White locations—ensuring patients have a direct pathway to care and physicians’ clinical goals are met. She has successfully led multiple facilities through AASM and Joint Commission accreditation and designed occupational health programs promoting safety and compliance in the driving community.

 

Passionate about education and best practices, Sarah works alongside more than 45 sleep specialists and some of the field’s founding leaders. Her mission is to elevate the profession, empower clinicians, and ensure patient care remains at the forefront of sleep medicine.

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