Until now, neither investigation nor treatment for sleep apnea has been possible in Greenland. This is one of the things we want to change with our project on sleep apnea in patients with type 2 diabetes.
After expert training from the sleep apnea clinic at the Ear Nose Throat and the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery at Zealand University Hospital, Køge, we can now investigate and treat sleep apnea locally in Nuuk. We have put the first patients into treatment with CPAP, and the inclusion to the project is running.
However, how do you ensure equal treatment throughout Greenland when some patients live over 1000km away from their therapists? This is one of the challenges the Greenlandic healthcare system faces every day, and is therefore also an inherent factor in the treatment regimen we test.
That's why I was in Ilulissat and visited our nurse Trine, who now also has to start including patients. If a participant needs treatment with CPAP, dispensing and control must take place telemedicine from Nuuk. Fortunately, we at Steno Diabetes Center Greenland have extensive experience with telemedicine treatment and can draw on the existing knowledge.
We look forward to also being able to help patients with sleep apnea outside Nuuk!
Best regards
Mads
