What is the Code of Practice?
The Sleep Health Foundation's Code of Practice for Suppliers of CPAP Sleep Therapies helps ensure suppliers of sleep disorder therapies adopt consistent standards. Annual Certification and registration as a Sleep Health Foundation Code of Practice adherent will give sleep physicians and their patients confidence when making decisions about where to go for equipment to treat sleep disorders.
Quality practitioners agree that a comprehensive and considered approach to patients and their treatment is required.
The code is endorsed by the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA), the national peak professional body of sleep clinicians and sleep scientists.
The code enshrines 13 Principles:
- Patient first
- Opportunity for trial before sale
- Provision of after sales support
- Range of masks/devices
- Capacity for face-to-face consultation
- Accurate, confidential record keeping
- Scheduled follow up including provision for data download
- Encourage active patient participation indecision making
- Manage conflicts of interest: separate diagnostic from treatment services. Patient to be independently assessed by an appropriately trained medical practitioner before supply
- Maintain in service development and training
- Act in a professional manner with objectivity and integrity
- Ensure changes to therapy are made in consultation with medical practitioner
- Work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals
Benefits
- SHF Code of Practice Logo can be used on your website
- Your website may be linked to your listing in the SHF directory of approved providers
- The ASA will provide a link from their website to the SHF Directory of sleep services that comply with the Code of Practice for the use by their members
- ASA endorsement guarantees a level of commitment by Physicians/Clinicians to refer patients to those resellers who have signed up to the Code of Practice
Self-regulation of compliance is as follows:
The code will be displayed in your showroom
- Any complaints will be directed to your organisation in first instance
- Failure to resolve or address consumer concern will result in the matter being brought to the Foundation
- Corrective actions may be recommended by the Foundation
- Failure to implement such actions may result in withdrawal of status
Annual Renewal process
To ensure that standards are maintained over time, businesses must renew their registration on an annual basis.
What does it cost per annum?
- Tier 1: $350 pa (+GST) ≤2sites+
- Tier 2: $1,000 pa (+GST) ≥3 –9 sites+
- Tier 3: $2,500 pa (+GST) ≥10 sites+
- 15 sites and above to be negotiated
Payment is made with your application and is non-refundable.
Download an interactive application here.
NB The definition of a site is a ‘physical location with address, office and onsite staff with patient facilities’.