Polysomnography Service Calculation

Service Level Calculation

Current service level

The current number of beds per 100,000 people in any given catchment area is calculated by dividing the current number of beds in a catchment area by the current population of the catchment area and multiplying the result by 100,000.

Example calculation: Current Service level in Vancouver Health Services Delivery Area (HSDA).

=(beds in Vancouver HSDA / population in Vancouver HSDA) x 100,000

= (6 / 730,760 people) x 100,000

= 0.82 beds per 100,000 people

Target service level

The number of beds needed to achieve the Medical Services Commission’s target service level (capacity) of 350 to 400 sleep studies per 100,000 people annually* is calculated with the assumption that one reasonably utilized polysomnography bed will operate six days per week throughout the year, minus ten days per year for statutory holidays, and that the bed is utilized for a diagnostic test 70% of the nights that it operates. 

*Target service capacity is based on four years of pre-pandemic Medical Services Plan billings growth, applied to the same period post-pandemic.

Reasonable utilization of a polysomnography bed (annual operating capacity calculation – single bed*)

= (6 nights per week x 52 weeks per year – 10 nights/year) x 0.7 diagnostic studies per night

= (302 nights per year) x 0.7 diagnostic studies per night

= 211.4

~ 210 diagnostic studies/year

*Endorsed by the Medical Services Commission, July 2021.

The number of beds needed to achieve a service level between 350 and 400 studies per 100,000 people is calculated by dividing the upper and lower targets by the annual operating capacity of a reasonably utilized bed:

Beds per 100,000 people to achieve annual target service level 

Lower target = 350 annual studies per 100,000 / 210 annual studies per bed

=1.7 beds per 100,000

Upper target = 400 annual studies per 100,000 / 210 annual studies per bed

= 1.9 beds per 100,000

Catchment area service level

The number of beds needed to provide the target service level in a catchment area is calculated by multiplying the minimum target of 1.7 beds per 100,000 by the catchment area population and dividing the total by 100,000. 

Example: Beds to achieve target service level in Vancouver HSDA

=1.7 beds per 100,000 people/ (730,760 people / 100,000)

=12.42292 beds

=12 beds to achieve minimum target service level

Note: Capacity targets are rounded to reflect ratio of 3 beds: 1 technician.

 

The need for additional capacity is determined by calculating the difference between the number of existing approved beds and the lower target service level for each HSDA.   

This calculation assumes that existing, approved beds are achieving the Medical Services Commission’s- benchmark for reasonable utilization of a polysomnography facility.

Example: addition beds needed in Vancouver HSDA

=12 beds to achieve target service level – 6 existing, approved beds

= 6 beds needed

Note: target service levels will be reviewed in 2025.

For further detail regarding polysomnography facility application assessment, see:
ACDF Polysomnography Facility Application Assessment Process
Polysomnography Current and Target Service Levels
Polysomnography Patient Wait Time and Priority Benchmarks