GRAND BLANC – Spud Software, a custom software development
company, in partnership withDr. Mark Rittenger and Dr. Gregory Streff,
of Michigan Lung and Critical Care Specialists, has created a new app
aimed at testing for sleep apnea, a disorder that creates blockage of the
airway during sleep.
The app, which runs on Android phones, will allow patients to take the test
from the convenience of their homes or while they are on the road. But the app is currently only available to patients at a Sleep Study Center where
clinical trials are underway. The app will be opened to a larger audience of
test subjects once clinical trials and testing are completed, but the app will
still only be provided to patients from Sleep Centers who elect to offer the
Sleep App for in-home studies. The reason for this is because there is a
proprietary cable harness that connects Android devices to the lead pads which a
patient applies to themselves for recording sleep study data and is required in
order to use the app. That harness is only available from a Sleep Center.
“These sleep studies are usually done in a sleep lab, with the patient hooked
up to wires, and monitored during sleep by a sleep technologist,” Spud
president Derek Sommer Said. “With this app, patients will now have the option
to take the test from home.”
Many patients are unable or unwilling to have an in-lab study, or their
insurance company may only cover a home sleep test, so it would deter them from
getting tested.
Now patients can receive the phone with the app installed, which is protected
by a case designed to protect the phone during the sleep study. The protective
case and wire harness is military grade while the app contains easy-to-follow,
step-by-step instructions. The app is expected to be approved soon by the FDA
for patient use.
“Sleep apnea is a very serious condition that can lead to
bigger problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke,” said
Sommer. “If we can increase the amount of people willing to take the tests by
simplifying the procedure, then we have hit our goal.”
For more information, click on http://www.spudsoftware.com/blog
