Coaching Overview
Starting on CPAP therapy is a lifestyle change that takes time to get used to. Once your CPAP is delivered you will be assigned a GEM COACH to help. You may be wondering, what can a sleep coach help me with?
With any lifestyle change, it will take time to get used to sleeping with a CPAP mask on. With practice, persistence, and encouragement most people are able to tolerate wearing a CPAP each night. With time it will become habit and you will be feeling so much more rested you won't want to sleep without it. To help with this transition GEM SLEEP offers our patients a dedicated coach. You will be assigned a coach once your CPAP has arrived.
Your GEM coach will check in with you to see how things are going and monitor your usage each day. They will be looking at the following key metrics, which help us know if therapy is working as it should.
- Leak: Are you getting a good seal with your mask? Or is too much air coming out the side/top/bottom? Your coach give give you comfort tips on how to change your mask fit, if that still does not work your coach can help you get a new mask (GEM SLEEP offers a mask replacement warranty 1x within the first 30 days of therapy)
- AHI: Ideally with therapy this number is less than 5, but it depends where you started. AHI is a count of the number of times per hour that your upper airway partially or completely collapses during sleep. This includes apneas (pauses in breathing) and hypopneas (periods of shallow breathing).
- Pressure/Ramp: What is the max and minimum pressure you are reaching. Your machine will come preset with a pressure range set based on the original prescription set by your clinician. Sometimes this pressure can be too low or too high making it harder to adjust, but this setting can be adjusted by your coach if needed.
- Total Sleep Time/ Usage: Our goal is to have you wear your CPAP the entire time you are asleep, this may not happen on day 1 or even within the first week. Seeing how much you are able to use your machine each night gives us an indication on how well you are adjusting to therapy. If you find yourself throwing your mask to the side in the middle of the night (therefore a low total wear time), there is likely something that can be done to help make it more comfortable.
Common Questions about GEM Coaching:
1. How do I set-up time with my coach? Your GEM Coach will reach out to you and provide a link to pick a mutual time that works for you to meet. Phone calls are typically 10-20 minutes.
2. When should I meet with my coach? It is recommended you meet with your coach within the first 7 days of treatment, this will help ensure you know how to properly use your machine and address any initial questions you may have. Your coach will continue to check in frequently via text or phone call.
3. Why does the Coach need access to my CPAP data? All CPAP machines are enabled to send data back daily to your clincian team (this includes your coach). Getting this data back helps us see how therapy is going and know if we need to make any adjustments. The transmission of data back to your provider is also required if you paid for you device using insurance.
4. How can I reach my coach? You can either email, call or text your coach.
5.How quickly can I expect my coach to get back to me? Our coaches try to get back our patients as quickly as possible, we are here for you. Depending on volume it may take up to 1 business day to respond.
6.I have questions about insurance or billing should I ask my coach? Our coaches are specially trained in sleep therapy. For this reason please call our main support line for any questions related to bills, insurance, etc. and save the specific CPAP/therapy questions for your coach.
If you are tired or exhausted do not operate a vehicle or machinery.
The information contained in this document is for educational purposes only, Sleep Apnea can only be diagnosed via a medically approved sleep study. A sleep study must be ordered and reviewed by a professional provider trained in Sleep Medicine.
GEM Sleep is focused on treatment and support of Sleep Apnea, not other sleep conditions.
With any lifestyle change, it will take time to get used to sleeping with a CPAP mask on. With practice, persistence, and encouragement most people are able to tolerate wearing a CPAP each night. With time it will become habit and you will be feeling so much more rested you won't want to sleep without it. To help with this transition GEM SLEEP offers our patients a dedicated coach. You will be assigned a coach once your CPAP has arrived.
Your GEM coach will check in with you to see how things are going and monitor your usage each day. They will be looking at the following key metrics, which help us know if therapy is working as it should.
- Leak: Are you getting a good seal with your mask? Or is too much air coming out the side/top/bottom? Your coach give give you comfort tips on how to change your mask fit, if that still does not work your coach can help you get a new mask (GEM SLEEP offers a mask replacement warranty 1x within the first 30 days of therapy)
- AHI: Ideally with therapy this number is less than 5, but it depends where you started. AHI is a count of the number of times per hour that your upper airway partially or completely collapses during sleep. This includes apneas (pauses in breathing) and hypopneas (periods of shallow breathing).
- Pressure/Ramp: What is the max and minimum pressure you are reaching. Your machine will come preset with a pressure range set based on the original prescription set by your clinician. Sometimes this pressure can be too low or too high making it harder to adjust, but this setting can be adjusted by your coach if needed.
- Total Sleep Time/ Usage: Our goal is to have you wear your CPAP the entire time you are asleep, this may not happen on day 1 or even within the first week. Seeing how much you are able to use your machine each night gives us an indication on how well you are adjusting to therapy. If you find yourself throwing your mask to the side in the middle of the night (therefore a low total wear time), there is likely something that can be done to help make it more comfortable.
Common Questions about GEM Coaching:
1. How do I set-up time with my coach? Your GEM Coach will reach out to you and provide a link to pick a mutual time that works for you to meet. Phone calls are typically 10-20 minutes.
2. When should I meet with my coach? It is recommended you meet with your coach within the first 7 days of treatment, this will help ensure you know how to properly use your machine and address any initial questions you may have. Your coach will continue to check in frequently via text or phone call.
3. Why does the Coach need access to my CPAP data? All CPAP machines are enabled to send data back daily to your clincian team (this includes your coach). Getting this data back helps us see how therapy is going and know if we need to make any adjustments. The transmission of data back to your provider is also required if you paid for you device using insurance.
4. How can I reach my coach? You can either email, call or text your coach.
5.How quickly can I expect my coach to get back to me? Our coaches try to get back our patients as quickly as possible, we are here for you. Depending on volume it may take up to 1 business day to respond.
6.I have questions about insurance or billing should I ask my coach? Our coaches are specially trained in sleep therapy. For this reason please call our main support line for any questions related to bills, insurance, etc. and save the specific CPAP/therapy questions for your coach.
If you are tired or exhausted do not operate a vehicle or machinery.
The information contained in this document is for educational purposes only, Sleep Apnea can only be diagnosed via a medically approved sleep study. A sleep study must be ordered and reviewed by a professional provider trained in Sleep Medicine.
GEM Sleep is focused on treatment and support of Sleep Apnea, not other sleep conditions.