My new and current sleep doctor is also a pulmonologist!!! I also have a pulmonologist and they are in the same practice.
In MI integrated, team-based medicine is just starting with some family doctors (like my regular doc) and a few hospital--based groups but on a very limited basis. Specialists are far from the model. And I haven't found any teamed up in the configuration you mentioned.
I recommend T.R Reid's book about healthcare systems worldwide. American medicine offers some of the best for surgery but is a far cry from how most countries provide and deliver preventative and general care medicine.
Thanks for your reply.
No time to participate right now. The surveys and participation require quite a bit of time and dedication.
I used a CPAP with no problems for 8 years. However, the next 2 of 10 years the CPAP contributed heavily to non-stop to intermittent bouts of coughing for at least 1 1/2 hours. My sleep apnea people never told me that a CPAP can have side effects - one of them being respiratory problems.-despite my increasing chronic bronchitis and the coughing. I assumed they would have - but found out and quickly - online - with a simple search on my own - when I realized I had to be my own doctor first. The daily, morning radical coughing stopped right away - once I quit using the CPAP. Needless to say, I was angry it cost me 2 years --- I was told when I reported my anger and disappointment - that my claim wasn't "proven" by medical research! I switched doctors to one open to what works best for each paitent, not insistent on the most effective method, the C-PAP machine.
Unfortunately, the dental device hasn't been very effective. However, I am soon going to a dentist locally whose practice is over 60% in sleep-apnea oral devices - and who provides machinery to use at home. The machinery won't be as true as an overnight study but at least indicate improvement or not.
I would love to hear from other users of "TAP" (devices) aka a dental sleep apnea device aka an oral sleep apnea device. Anyone out there?
P.S. My new sleep apnea doctor did suggest a trial with a 2-stage device but he and his nurse agreed that I would likely resume the coughing. NOTE: I was so ill with chronic bronchitis for 4 years that I had to retire early. I sought out docs who treat with nutrition (not in my state) - and haven't had that for 2 years now. However, I still have chemical asthma and the only symptom I have is a cough, rather infrequent now - and no coughing bouts..
