Mayo sleep lab finds new location
Published 6:59 am Tuesday, October 22, 2019
- Dr. Steve Kubas stands in the new Sleep Services Lab at Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin, which has been relocated from an upstairs location to the main floor. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
New location makes for quiet opportunity
As Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin works through it’s renovations, some departments are finding new homes within the hospital.
One of these departments is the Sleep Services Lab, which has moved from the second floor to the first floor, just off of the Emergency entrance.
The move from its original location has been in just the last couple weeks, according to Dr. Steve Kubas, medical director of sleep services.
“I was just trying to localize,” Kubas said. “Locate a relatively quiet place. I liked the southern exposure. The door is usually closed, but there is some sunlight available.”
Each of the two sleep study rooms are set up for as much comfort as possible, to lend to a more relaxing atmosphere.
Kubas sees people for a variety of sleep disorders, most commonly including sleep apnea, a condition that occurs when people’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts, taking restful sleep from people.
People with sleep conditions will likely be referred to Kubas after seeing their doctor. The patient will stay the night in the lab, in one of two rooms furnished for comfort, connected to monitoring equipment and watched through a camera in the room.
During this sleep study, a registered polysomnographic technologist will watch the patient, looking for telltale signs of sleep apnea or other conditions.
Dr. Steve Kubas shows off one of the two rooms at the new location of the Sleep Services Lab Friday.
“During the sleep study the patient will sleep overnight here, allowing us to observe sleep breathing in real time,” Kubas said. “It’s a pretty consistent process.”
The key part of the move, was looking for that quiet place within the building. On the second floor, the lab was in a heavy traffic area as well as being next to the helipad for Mayo One.
“There was extensive planning that I was able to be part of with architects in Rochester,” Kubas said.
