Belgium's New Sleep Apnoea Convention

Preparing for a new era of sleep care

Belgium is preparing to reshape the diagnosis and management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). The new INAMI/RIZIV convention, targeted for 2027, aims to evolve how patients are identified, diagnosed and followed.

For hospitals and sleep centres, this represents more than a change in reimbursement or diagnostic practices. It raises a broader question: how can sleep services meet growing demand while making the best use of existing clinical resources?

NOMICS supports healthcare professionals in preparing for this evolution through diagnostic technologies and digital tools designed to connect the sleep care pathway.

Why is the sleep care pathway evolving?

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is a common chronic condition, yet many patients remain undiagnosed. Sleep centres face growing demand, increasing pressure on specialist teams and limitations in diagnostic capacity.

Traditional care pathways were not necessarily designed to manage the scale of this demand.

Meeting future needs requires a more structured approach: identifying patients who may benefit from investigation, directing them towards the appropriate diagnostic pathway and ensuring continuity of care.

What could change under the new convention?

The proposed reform points towards a more integrated and accessible model of sleep care, with greater emphasis on ambulatory diagnosis and collaboration between healthcare professionals.

01. More diagnosis at home

Home respiratory polygraphy is expected to play a greater role in the diagnostic pathway, where clinically appropriate. Publicly reported targets include an initial objective of 45% of tests performed at home within three years, progressing towards 70–80% over the longer term.

This evolution could help sleep centres organise diagnostic activity differently, while reserving in-laboratory resources for patients who require more complex investigations.

02. A greater role for primary care

General practitioners could play a more active role in identifying patients with suspected OSA, contributing to patient selection and supporting the referral process.

A more structured collaboration between primary and secondary care could help patients reach the appropriate diagnostic service more efficiently.

03. A more structured patient pathway

The evolution of diagnostic practices also raises the need for better coordination between patient identification, testing, clinical interpretation and follow-up.

For hospitals, the challenge will be to integrate these stages into a pathway that reflects their clinical responsibilities, resources and organisational realities.

The measures and targets described above reflect publicly reported reform proposals and must be checked against the final convention.

What does this mean for hospitals and sleep centres?

The transition will require more than adopting new diagnostic equipment. Sleep services will need to consider how their entire pathway is organised.

• Patient selection: How can patients who need further investigation be identified and prioritised?

• Diagnostic capacity: How can ambulatory testing be integrated into existing workflows?

• Clinical coordination: How can primary care, hospitals and other healthcare professionals work together more effectively?

• Data and interpretation: How can clinicians access the information they need to support diagnostic decisions?

• Follow-up: How can continuity of care be maintained without placing additional pressure on specialist teams?

Each hospital will need to address these questions according to its own patient population, resources and clinical organisation.

How NOMICS supports the transition

At NOMICS, we believe the future of sleep care depends not only on diagnostic technologies, but also on how the different stages of the pathway connect. Our solutions are designed to support healthcare professionals in structuring and coordinating the diagnostic journey, from initial assessment to diagnosis and follow-up.

Supporting patient selection and triage

A structured pre-test approach can help healthcare professionals identify patients who may require further investigation and orient them towards an appropriate diagnostic pathway.

Enabling ambulatory diagnosis

Brizzy, Brizzy+ and Somnolter provide diagnostic solutions designed to support the assessment of sleep-disordered breathing. Their role within a patient's pathway depends on the clinical indication and applicable diagnostic requirements.

Connecting the pathway through APIOS

The APIOS platform supports the digital organisation and interpretation of sleep study information, helping healthcare professionals access clinically relevant data throughout the diagnostic process.

Together, these technologies contribute to a more connected approach to sleep care, supporting hospitals as they adapt their organisation to evolving diagnostic practices.

From regulatory change to operational readiness

The new convention creates an opportunity for sleep centres to review their current pathways and prepare for future requirements.

There is no single model that will suit every hospital. The challenge is to translate the regulatory framework into a practical organisation that meets clinical needs, makes appropriate use of diagnostic resources and maintains continuity of care.

NOMICS works alongside healthcare professionals to help make this transition more structured, connected and manageable.

Preparing your sleep care pathway for 2027?

Every hospital has its own challenges, resources and priorities.

Let's discuss how NOMICS can support your team in preparing for the evolving landscape of sleep diagnostics in Belgium.