Abstract
Purpose: A quality improvement project to implement sleep screening within the primary care setting.|Background: Sleep plays a vital role in brain function, physiological functions, as well as mental alertness and well-being. Despite its importance, sleep health is not often discussed in the primary care setting during patient encounters leading to a lack of reporting and addressing of sleep disorders.|Sample/Setting: The setting was a family practice clinic located in a small city on the southern U.S. The sample included 100 adults aged 18-84 with scheduled appointments in the clinic between October 13-December 08, 2021.|Methods: Implemented sleep health education and screening using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale© MW Johns 1990-1997. Used under license. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics. Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework utilized to guide process change.|Results: Of the 100 participants screened, 59% scored normal (0-10) on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), 20% of participants scored mild (11-12), 14% of participants scored moderate (13-15), and 7% scored severe (16-24). Participants scoring in severe range discussed findings with provider and agreed to further workup. All participants received an educational handout and 20% received a follow-up call to evaluate education.|Conclusion: Yearly screening can help detect sleep disorders or poor sleep hygiene. Providers in the primary care setting need to prioritize the evaluation of sleep habits and sleep evaluation.