Accessibility to manage the obstructive sleep apnea within the Brazilian Unified Health System()

OBJECTIVE: To measure the average time for the diagnosis and for the therapeutic prescription of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) at a hospital in Botucatu Medical School - State University São Paulo, UNESP. METHOD: A retrospective observational study was carried out by collecting data from the electronic medical records of patients over 18-years of age, who had a diagnostic polysomnography testing scheduled between January and December 2017. RESULT: Of the 347 patients eligible for the study, 94 (27.1%) missed follow-up and 103 (29.7%) had a referral for CPAP use. Until February 2021, only 37 (35.9%) of these patients had already acquired and were using the device, the remaining 66 (64.1%) were waiting or gave up the therapy. The mean value of the waiting time interval between the referral of the diagnostic test and its performance was equivalent to 197 days (6.5 months). The mean time between diagnostic polysomnography and CPAP prescription was 440-days (14.5-months), with a total mean time of 624 days (21-months). CONCLUSION: As in other services, the diagnostic-therapeutic flow proved to be highly inefficient, with a long waiting period, difficult access to treatment and a high dropout rate. These findings highlight the need to establish new patient-centered strategies with measures that speed up the flow and facilitate access to CPAP, in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3 - Non-randomized controlled cohort/follow-up study Recommendation B.