Originally published in YOUR Williamson —

As the result of recently completed renovations and updates, Williamson Health’s state-of-the-art sleep lab is ready to make getting a good night’s sleep possible for more patients.

“With these new upgrades, our lab is certainly one of the prettiest sleep labs in all of Tennessee,” said Karl Kuhn, M.D. Board-certified in internal medicine and critical care as well as sleep medicine and pulmonary diseases, Dr. Kuhn provides care at Williamson Health’s sleep lab. “We have the most up-to-date equipment available and extra room so we can get patients into the lab as quickly as possible.”

In addition to cosmetic updates, such as new furniture, bedding, lighting, fresh paint and other amenities designed to make patients feel more comfortable, the renovations also included the addition of a fifth bedroom, increasing capacity so providers can meet the needs of more patients each month.

“This additional bedroom will allow us to see more patients more quickly,” Dr. Kuhn said. “That means quicker turnaround times, less waiting and receiving results much faster.”

Previously, Williamson Health’s sleep lab averaged between 60-70 in-lab sleep studies per month, but the recent upgrades have increased that capacity to 100 studies each month. In addition to the renovation, the lab also added equipment that will allow them to facilitate more in-home sleep studies, making it possible to serve an additional 70-80 patients per month.

“If people are complaining about being overly tired, snoring, choking or gasping in their sleep or waking up with headaches, it might be time to consider a sleep study,” Dr. Kuhn said. “Just because you’ve gotten older doesn’t mean you should be more tired, so if you’re needing to nap during the day, it may be time to make an appointment.”

Sleep studies help doctors diagnose sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, insomnia and more. Often, these disorders cannot be identified with a normal office visit, and diagnosis requires gathering more conclusive evidence while patients are asleep.

During a sleep study, lab team members monitor a patient’s brain and physical activity during sleep as well as breathing rates and oxygen levels. The sleep lab also upgraded its equipment to the latest sleep testing technology which further demonstrates that all aspects of the sleep lab experience have been elevated.

“For patients, these improvements have made an evening in Williamson Health’s sleep lab that much nicer,” Dr. Kuhn said. “In addition to the most up-to-date equipment and extra rooms, we’ve got two fantastic board-certified sleep physicians and are adding another at the end of the year. We’re well-equipped to get patients in and diagnosed as quickly as possible.”

Dr. Kuhn, Aaron Milstone, M.D., and Jordan Phillips, M.D., are board-certified in pulmonary and sleep medicine. Dr. Phillips will join the team on Oct. 1.

Located on the third floor of the Williamson Health Medical Office Building, the sleep lab has been serving Williamson County residents since 1995. To learn about Williamson Health’s pulmonary and sleep medicine services, visit https://williamsonhealth.org/medical-services/pulmonary-and-sleep-medicine.