Sleep Apnea Patient Referral Partner, CNP Raina

At Ohio Sleep Treatment (OST), many of our obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients are referrals from local sleep provider partners. These sleep provider partners trust us to treat their patients with the highest level of care. We are thrilled to shine the spotlight on Raina Vretenar, Certified Nurse Practitioner at Mount Carmel Pulmonary and Sleep, Grove City. Raina has an impressive career of 9 years as a nurse in the ICU [Intensive Care Unit], followed by her current position as a CNP [Certified Nurse Practitioner] where her focus is towards delivering quality sleep back into the lives of her patients’ through sleep medicine.

We are grateful to have the partnership that we do with Raina. Her dedication to successfully treating sleep disorders in her patients is truly unwavering, just like our team of sleep professionals. That is why Raina trusts that when she refers her patients to OST, they will be in good hands! In summary, we hope you enjoy and are able to learn more about Raina and her commitment to her patients’ successful treatment.

1) Briefly describe yourself, educational background, and current position.

• • Starting out in my career, I worked as a bedside nurse in the ICU for 9 years.  Currently, I am a CNP. I work in both the inpatient and outpatient setting treating pulmonary and sleep disorders. Outside of work, I enjoy going to church, spending time with my family, cooking, and walking my pitbull Vinnie!  

2) What made you choose your current field?

• • Going into pulmonary medicine was a natural transition from working in the ICU, and sleep medicine is fascinating so it was the perfect combination! 

3) Finish this sentence… The part of my job I enjoy the most is

• • Above all, hearing positive feedback from my patients about how their lives have transformed as a result of treating their sleep disorders. Poor sleep impacts our health systemically. Successful treatment of a patient’s sleep disorder can lead to a variety of health benefits. Patients report resolution of headaches, palpitations, memory impairment, insomnia, nightmares and anxiety (to name a few!). They often are able to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning and have the energy to exercise. Frequently, patients have even told me that they are able to reduce the dosage of their blood pressure medication with successful treatment of their sleep disorder. Lastly, and certainly not least, my patient’s bedpartners are always grateful when they no longer have to listen to their partner snore. The benefits of a good nights sleep are infinite! 

4) How did you first hear about Ohio Sleep Treatment (O.S.T.)?

• • I learned about O.S.T from a pamphlet at our office. Rob Kibler, the COO of O.S.T. has been WONDERFUL to work with! He is friendly, accessible, and accomodating. 

5) Describe the nature of your professional relationship with Ohio Sleep Treatment?

• • Essentially all of my patients are referred to O.S.T. that have chosen the oral appliance therapy for the treatment of their OSA. In fact, I do not receive commission or payment for my referrals, I simply want my patients to receive the best care possible!

6) Describe a unique process/feature/organizational attribute that makes Ohio Sleep Treatment a valuable referral partner.

• • O.S.T providers are always quick to respond to any questions regarding sleep study technicalities, insurance coverage, or information about their devices. They are incredibly easy to communicate with, which is a rare find in healthcare these days.
  • Furthermore, their remarkable ability to get treatments covered by insurance.
  • Lastly, I have never had any patient complaints about O.S.T. 

7) Why would you recommend Ohio Sleep Treatment to other providers in your field?

• • O.S.T. makes everything easy!! Above all, I always feel relieved when a patient chooses this option because I know he/she will be in good hands!

8) What recommendations would you make to the team at Ohio Sleep Treatment to improve their practice? Why is that important?

• • I don’t think there is anything to change necessarily. We’ve had a handful of follow-up home sleep tests where the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) hadn’t changed much. However, at O.S.T they provide their patients with the independence and tools to make adjustments to their devices at home so that they do not constantly have to schedule office visits. Short of having a magic wand I don’t think there is anything for the O.S.T team to change per se.

9) Describe the ideal dental sleep medicine practice/referral partner.

• • Trustworthy, competent, and they empower their patients. I never worry when sending my patients to O.S.T. because I know they are in good hands. 

To conclude, the team at Ohio Sleep Treatment wants to thank Raina for taking the time to answer our questions! We hope you found value learning an insider’s perspective on referring patients to our dental sleep medicine clinic. Thank you to Raina and her team at the Mount Carmel Pulmonary & Sleep Grove City location for their commitment to treating patients suffering from numerous sleep disorders. Your commitment to delivering quality sleep to Central Ohioans is one we are grateful to support. We thank you for trusting Ohio Sleep Treatment in that mission. 

Want to hear more from our sleep provider partners? Check out our interview with a board-certified sleep physician here!

If you would like to set up an in-person or virtual meeting with one of our sleep professionals to learn more about referring patients to our practice, we would be happy to discuss further with you! Many of our patients are referrals from local sleep providers. It would be an honor to work with you and your team. Send us an email at info@sleeptreatmentOH.com or call us at (614) 396-8286 or schedule a meeting online.