Improving Outcomes: Increasing Referral Rates through STOP-BANG Questionnaire Integration

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common, yet underdiagnosed sleep disorder associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity, hypertension, and perioperative complications. Despite its prevalence, OSA often remains undetected in primary care settings, leading to poor patient outcomes and increased healthcare utilization. Early screening using validated tools such as the STOP-BANG questionnaire has demonstrated effectiveness in identifying at-risk patients and guiding timely interventions. This quality improvement project (QI) pre/post test aims to implement the STOP-BANG questionnaire to increase referral rates in a cardiology clinic. A search of multiple databases verified that the STOP-BANG questionnaire is a reliable instrument that has been used to screen patients for OSA to assist in early identification of those at risk for OSA and prompt referral. The anticipated potential contribution of this project is the advancement of evidence-based screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in clinical settings, leading to earlier referral to assist in identification and intervention for at-risk patients. By implementing the STOP-BANG questionnaire as a standardized screening tool, this initiative has the potential to reduce the prevalence of undiagnosed OSA, mitigate associated comorbidities such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and improve overall patient outcomes. Additionally, integrating a structured screening process into routine clinical practice may improve workflow efficiency, optimize resource utilization, and inform future quality improvement initiatives aimed at addressing sleep-disordered breathing in high-risk populations.