首屆讀者科技問卷調查 

Even if you’re not one to make New Year’s resolutions, the start of a new year naturally invites reflection on what worked well last year, what needs to change, and what to leave behind. 

With that spirit of looking ahead in mind, SleepWorld Magazine conducted its inaugural Reader Tech Survey as 2025 drew to a close. “As the sleep field continues to evolve, we wanted to hear directly from clinicians about how they’re planning for the future—from the technologies they’re investing in to where innovation is needed most,” says Editor-in-Chief Colleen Donnelly.

Responses came from sleep physicians, sleep lab managers and directors, sleep technologists, and other health care professionals working in the field across hospital systems, independent facilities and practices, academic sleep centers, and more. 

“This first Reader Tech Survey offers an early snapshot of how practices are equipping themselves as they plan for what comes next,” Donnelly says. “We look forward to tracking how priorities shift over time and sharing those insights with the sleep community in the years ahead.”

Taking Stock of Today’s Needs

The sleep field is entering a pivotal period. Rising patient demand, expanding diagnostic pathways, and new therapeutic options are reshaping how practices operate.  These shifts are influencing not only clinical care but also how sleep professionals think about technology, staffing, and long-term planning.

As practices consider upcoming technology investments, respondents were asked about their plans for adding new medical equipment. Most survey participants reported plans to add new medical technology in the next three years, but the level of investment planned for 2026 varied widely. 

Figure 1. How much are you planning to invest in equipment in 2026? 

When evaluating new technology, respondents emphasized software integration, data transfer, and compatibility with existing systems as key factors they consider. Multiple participants also indicated that vendor support and service quality are important elements in their purchasing decisions, and a number said they’re willing to invest more for on-site field service, extra training, and extended warranties. 

The survey also asked who makes buying decisions within respondents’ practices or sleep centers. Participants named sleep center managers or directors most often, followed by sleep physicians or medical directors and hospital purchasing or procurement departments. 

Overall, the data show that purchasing decisions are rarely made in isolation, reflecting the need for both clinical and operational alignment across organizations.

Figure 2. Who makes the buying decisions?

*Note: Respondents were able to select multiple roles, so percentages reflect how often each role was involved rather than a single decision-maker per practice.

The Tools Sleep Professionals Want Most

Looking ahead, respondents described a broad and evolving set of equipment and software solutions they expect to add over the next three years. Several categories surfaced repeatedly, offering a clear picture of where attention and resources are most likely to be directed.

Workflow and practice management technologies were the most frequently listed category. Approximately 64% of respondents cited tools such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence platforms, remote patient monitoring (RPM) solutions, automated documentation tools, or practice management software.

Participants widely selected non-PAP therapies as well. More than half of respondents (56.3%) noted that they were interested in adding hypoglossal nerve stimulation, PAP alternatives, oral appliance therapy, or dental sleep medicine solutions to their arsenal.

About one-third of participants said they expect to add home-based diagnostic technologies. Entries in this category included HST equipment, acoustic sensors, biometric monitoring tools, and other remote diagnostic technologies. Another 33% selected in-lab polysomnography (PSG) systems and PSG-related upgrades.

Digital therapeutics for insomnia were listed by 21.8%, who named CBT-I platforms and other behavioral sleep medicine tools. The frequency with which participants selected workflow tools, non-PAP therapies, diagnostic technologies, and digital solutions highlights the breadth of technologies they are considering over the next three years.

Figure 3. What technology or solutions are you interested in adding in the next 3 years?

 

 

Where Clinicians Turn for Information

To understand how sleep professionals stay informed about new diagnostic instruments, equipment, and industry trends, the survey asked respondents to rank their information sources from most important to least important. Continuing education (CE) at conferences most frequently ranked as the top source, followed by emails, newsletters, and industry publications, which also commonly appeared in the highest positions.

Participants commonly placed manufacturer websites, social media, and peer-reviewed literature were in the middle of the rankings. Respondents often ranked tradeshows, online CE, and non-CE media such as videos and podcasts toward the lower end of importance, though they still appeared in the results.

Figure 4. What is the most important way you learn about new diagnostic instruments, equipment, and trends?

Demand for Home-Based Solutions

Beyond near-term purchasing plans, the survey also explored how sleep professionals are thinking about the longer-term role of home-based monitoring and treatment. More than 60% of respondents anticipate a need for more home-based options over the next five to 10 years.

For some, the case for expanded home-based options reflects changing patient preferences. “People don’t like coming in as much and want to be monitored from home,” notes Adam Oren, RPSGT, CCSH, a sleep technologist.

Respondents who selected “yes” often went on to specify particular clinical areas or patient populations where they believe home-based options could play a role.

“​​We need more home-based monitoring on the treatment side,” shares Holly Neeriemer, BS, RPSGT, a sleep technologist at Cone Health Sleep Disorders Center in North Carolina. “Diagnosing is not as difficult as gaining compliance. Getting the patient set up, educated on, and equipped to use and take care of their PAP equipment is the first step in a multifaceted process of a patient becoming a compliant PAP user.”

“The interface portion/proper mask fitting is key to patient comfort and success. The also patient needs to have an understanding of the average time to adjust to PAP therapy or oral appliance,” she says. “If the DME industry standard continues to go the route of group set-ups and giving the patient a mask to try without proper fitting or guidance, compliance issues will likely remain the same and there will continue to be a need in this area.” 

In addition to supporting better adherence and patient education, home-based monitoring could also offer improve access to care for many patients.

“Some underserved populations, including minorities and those with limited mobility or transport, could especially benefit from at-home options,” adds Golfam Javanoskooei, RPSGT, EdD, MBA, a sleep technologist and professor at the Community College of Baltimore County in Baltimore, Md.

However, not all respondents were convinced that further expansion of home-based monitoring and treatment is necessary. “We don’t necessarily need more home-based monitoring/treatment, but rather more appropriate HST clinical programs (i.e., counseling and identifying appropriate patients), and more conscientious evaluation and interpretation of data,” shares Jack Salah, MD, a sleep physician and sleep lab manager/director.

Others who selected “no” or “not sure” often cited their satisfaction with current options, uncertainty about future demand, or a continued preference for in-lab testing. Several responses pointed to pediatric care, concerns about patient compliance, reimbursement limitations, and the belief that in-lab studies remain more conclusive and continue to offer the most definitive data.

Innovation Priorities in the Next Decade

To better understand how sleep care may evolve in the next five to 10 years, the survey examined where respondents see opportunities for technological innovation.

“[In] the next five to 10 years, top sleep-tech innovations will center on AI-powered contactless monitoring, closed-loop audio/electrical sleep modulation, and data-driven digital therapeutics for insomnia to deliver more accurate diagnostics, personalized sleep enhancement, and accessible long-term treatments,” says Daniel Silva, NBWHC, a board-certified health & wellness coach who serves as a sleep & recovery coach at Onyx Health and Wellness in West Orange, N.J. 

Many respondents echoed these sentiments. Frequently cited areas for innovation included artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-based scoring software, enhanced HST systems, in-lab PSG systems and software, wireless sensors and electrodes, wearables and consumer devices, PAP therapies, non-PAP therapies such as dental devices and hypoglossal nerve stimulation systems, and digital or remote care tools including cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring.

“I see sleep technology progressing to something with much fewer sensors on the patient side of monitoring,” explains Jim Kissell, RPSGT, CCSH,  clinical coordinator at Mt. Carmel Sleep Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. “This could include AI scoring and report generation.”

“I believe technologies ready for innovation include a more wireless electrode and sensor setup for in-lab sleep studies, advancement in PAP therapies to treat complex/central apnea, and improvements in auto-scoring and staging software,” adds Brian Ireland, RPSGT.

Preparing for the Next Wave of Sleep Technology

Looking ahead, the survey suggests a period of active and intentional planning across many areas of sleep care—from diagnostics and therapy to software and workflow support. Rather than concentrating investment in a single category, respondents appear to be taking a more holistic approach, considering how multiple technologies can work together to address specific clinical needs, operational realities, and evolving care settings.

Together, these findings point to a market that is becoming more deliberate in how new tools are evaluated and adopted. Investment decisions are increasingly shaped by practicality and long-term fit, with sleep professionals weighing usability, integration, and sustainability as they plan for the next phase of care delivery. Many respondents also framed these decisions through the lens of patient experience and day-to-day impact.

Put simply by Jennifer Malone, RRT, who works in the CPAP department at AmeriMed Equipment in Valdosta, Ga.: “Patients will always desire a better quality of life.”

By Lindsey Nolen

Source SleepWorld Magazine Jan/Feb 2026 Issue

Lindsey Nolen is a health care journalist based in Jacksonville, Fla.