Obstructive sleep apnoea is undertreated in most countries because the diagnostic gateway — polysomnography — is expensive and slow. China changes that math.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects approximately 1 in 5 adults, but the majority remain undiagnosed and untreated. The bottleneck is rarely clinical recognition — it is access to the gateway diagnostic, polysomnography (PSG), and the cost / wait time before reaching it.
The Underdiagnosis Problem
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects approximately 1 in 5 adults, but the majority remain undiagnosed and untreated. The bottleneck is rarely clinical recognition — it is access to the gateway diagnostic, polysomnography (PSG), and the cost / wait time before reaching it.
Diagnostic Cost Comparison
- United States private rates: in-lab PSG USD 1,500–3,500; home sleep apnoea test (HSAT) USD 200–500
- United Kingdom private: in-lab PSG GBP 800–1,800; HSAT GBP 200–400
- Australia private: in-lab PSG AUD 1,200–2,400; HSAT AUD 250–450
- China Class A international department: in-lab PSG USD 260–420; HSAT USD 80–150
The lower-cost end of the China range reflects standard public hospital pricing flowing through to international department fees; the upper end reflects more comprehensive workups including titration nights.
What's Included at Class A Centres
A typical PSG study at a Class A sleep medicine centre includes:
- Overnight in-lab study with full PSG montage (EEG, EOG, EMG, ECG, airflow, effort, oximetry, body position, audio/video)
- Sleep technologist supervision
- Same-week interpretation by a board-certified sleep medicine specialist
- Written report with AHI, ODI, sleep architecture, recommendations
- Follow-up visit to discuss results
What If Apnoea Is Confirmed?
Treatment options at Class A centres:
- CPAP titration (in-lab or auto-titrating device): typically USD 80–150 for titration session
- Auto-CPAP machines: USD 600–1,200 for hospital-grade devices vs USD 1,200–2,400 US private
- Mandibular advancement device (custom): USD 600–1,400
- Surgical evaluation (UPPP, maxillomandibular advancement) at academic centres for selected refractory cases
Should You Get Tested?
Take our free STOP-Bang screener. A score ≥5 predicts moderate-to-severe OSA with high probability and clearly warrants formal testing.
The Time Investment
Plan for 2 nights at a sleep centre (one for PSG, optionally one for CPAP titration), plus a follow-up day. Many international patients combine sleep medicine with other workups (cardiometabolic, ENT) in a single trip.
Sources: Published Australian, UK, US private rate comparisons; AASM guidelines; partner-hospital sleep medicine pricing 2026.