Towards better management of sleep apnea in Italy

Widespread but underdiagnosed, sleep apnea syndrome¹ can be treated effectively through appropriate care and monitoring. In Italy, Air Liquide Healthcare is working with the national healthcare system to provide patients with personalized support paired with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) supply. Once the treatment is prescribed by a doctor, Air Liquide Healthcare’s teams set up a personalized care plan to promote patient adherence, including initiation, device selection, educational materials, and training for family members. Additional support is also provided to reduce sleepiness and improve quality of life through a mobile app and monitoring by our teams.

In 2024, several contracts signed with regional health authorities introduced remuneration for Air Liquide Healthcare, as the home healthcare service provider, based on outcomes in patient treatment adherence. Data collected through remote monitoring show how many hours the device is used and the number and duration of apnea events during sleep. Provided to healthcare professionals and payers, the data can be used to assess treatment adherence and sleep quality, while at the same time providing the basis for payments to Air Liquide Healthcare. Personalized support combined with remote monitoring improves compliance with CPAP treatment compared with standard monitoring, as shown by a Spanish study². Improved adherence is correlated with a reduction in sleep apnea-related health risks, as well as a reduction in healthcare consumption and associated costs³.

In 2024, 3,000 patients in Italy received this support. Building on the Air Liquide Healthcare’s expertise in home healthcare and the experience gained through similar initiatives in several other countries, the teams in Italy developed a value-based healthcare approach, result-oriented and tailored to the national healthcare system. This approach reflects our commitments to prioritize patient-centered support, aiming to deliver optimal care at the best possible cost, thereby contributing to a more efficient and virtuous healthcare system for families and the community.