Management of sleep disorders in Europe: a patient's journey

Le résumé fourni par la source

Talking about health in Europe, we often expect the same level of continent-wide freedom and high standards as we find in trade or travel. However, for millions of people in Europe, including non-European Union (EU) citizens such as those in the UK, this freedom often halts at the doctor's office. This hidden border decides whether and when the patient will be treated. Based on direct feedback from a survey of the sleep patient community, this chapter highlights how the current “postcode lottery” in healthcare determines whether a person can breathe, work, or drive safely. While the EU is proud of its high standards of living, there is no common ground where health is concerned. And one of the most fundamental pillars of health, our sleep, seems to be treated as a political footnote. Sleep medicine is not niche; rather it demonstrates deep cracks in European patient care. Approximately 90 million residents of the EU suffer from sleep apnoea, and should be treated. Crucially, a vast number of these cases remain underdiagnosed, leaving millions of individuals at risk for cardiovascular and metabolic complications without knowing the cause. While some patients receive immediate care, others have waiting periods lasting for months or years before even being diagnosed. The massive shortage of doctors qualified in sleep medicine in certain countries prolongs waiting periods. Many patients are drowning in paperwork, having to pay thousands of euros in advance and waiting for months for a reimbursement that might never come. So why not look across borders for help? In short – bureaucracy. Cite as: Miltz C, Roberti L, Maylan V, et al. Management of sleep disorders in Europe: a patient's journey. In: Randerath WJ, Pépin JL, Schiza SE, eds. Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnoea (ERS Monograph). Sheffield, European Respiratory Society, 2026; pp. 1–12 [ https://doi.org/10.1183/2312508X.10028625 ].

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