California Center for Sleep Disorders

I received a return call from CCSD billing representative, Yohanna, yesterday afternoon. Her sincere apology and sensitive handling of my billing concerns significantly assuaged my need for immediate rectification of the «collection» threat that precipitated my previous updated review.
She further assisted in relieving our concern by providing a few payment options. Thank you, Yohanna (SP?)! This takes me back to the reason why I gave the original positive review.
I’m well satisfied with the resolution we came up with.
If you are looking for a cost effective sleep study center I can now STILL say that I recommend CCSD. The staff is respectful and considerate and handle frustrated customers well. Mutual respect goes a long way.

This place is such a scam. I went in for an office visit and the doctor didn’t seem sure what was wrong with me and told me to get the sleep test anyways even though it didn’t seem like he thought I really needed it.
The infuriating part is when a month later I got a bill and all it stated was «OTHER» as to what I was being charged for. I called the office for a MONTH, left multiple voicemails for the billing department and even tried to reach an operator and all they said they could do was leave my name and phone number and they would try and get billing to get back to me. I even sent them a message through their patient portal which claims to reply within 2 business days, which is a lie.
I ended up deciding to just pay the bill because I didn’t want them to send it to collections and screw over my credit. To everyone else, BEWARE of surprise charges and getting the run around trying to find out what the charges are for.

Visited the Alameda center last night and hopefully its the last time I’ll ever be there. Arrived at 9:25 for my 9:30pm appointment. Intake was about 10 minutes later. It took about 1 hour, including 2 10 — 15 minute lapses for the tech who dealt with me to get technical support about the computer she would be using to function. This was ok, as I was comfortable. Finally got all hooked up and ready to sleep around 10:30 — 45. The first part of the night went fine. I was able to sleep, turn over. Anything.
Then I was awakened. I had hoped that this was morning time + the cycle was done, but no: big surprise! Now you get to try on a CPAP device. Pardon me: who told me this was part of the experience. It’s now 2:30 and I’m not in much of a mood to discuss this. I tried on 3 different devices but declined to use any of them. I said that I would continue the sleep study, and that it was really unconscionable for them to introduce me to these devices in the middle of the night without warning. Not a good example of patient care for sure.
At 6 a.m. my study ended. I quickly washed my face, brushed my teeth, wrote up my experience on their after test survey and got out of there as quickly as I could. Getting home I ran into the shower to wash off: a. All the gook they used to plant some 20+ wires/​leads on my head, and b. To get the stench of this vile place off my body.
Disgusting is about the best positive adjective applicable to this experience.

The sleep center and the study itself were fine. The tech was polite and professional.
The automated interactions, powered by their Patient Portal site/​software, are extremely annoying and poorly executed. You will receive a deluge of emails and robocalls once they get your email address and phone number, likely from your referring physician’s office. I prefer doing things online when they are done well; but feel exactly the opposite when they are done poorly, as is the case here.
Unsubscribing requires that you first register. Once registered, you discover that you cannot unsubscribe (all emails are listed as «required»). At best you can turn off the robocalls. In my case, the «Important Message» was just a boilerplate «you recently had a sleep study; results will be in your health history soon». Yeah, I know I just had a sleep study, I don’t need an email generically directing me to sign in to a patient portal just to receive this «secure» message containing zero actually useful bits of information. Also, the results weren’t actually posted to my health history section of the portal, so the one thing that might have given me actual value… non-​existent. I’m just going to review the results with my primary physician, which is what I was expecting to do anyway.

I saw Aiko Loo and I couldn’t be happier. I am sleeping soundly for the first time in literally years. I had no idea how bad my prior practitioner was until I saw THIS one!
I highly recommend California Center for Sleep Disorders! I also like who they recommended for my CPAP, Home Med-​Equip in Concord. Yes, I’ve used
before, and I will still for some things, but theres no replacement for a Respiratory Therapist coming to your home, explaining everything, answering your questions, fitting things for you… They are good.
I’m sooooooooooooooooooo happy!!! :-)

I am grateful that Dr Kram is there and is open and curious about your sleep disorder. He spends a good of time getting your history including the vitals. He discusses options before and after sleep study. While I’m not cured I feel better schooled in sleep hygiene.
Recently went there for overnight sleep study and was pleasantly surprised by the upgrades in room and bathroom. The bonus was learning about Chinese movies from Nathan.
Having had more than one sleep study it’s been helpful to know more. Also they allow me my normal sleep aide as it’s hard for to sleep in a strange setting no matter how nice.
Now I’m laying my head down to sleep.

Dr Cram has been very helpful.
He is pleasant to deal with.
He has helped us in fighting the insurance companies in their nonsensical restrictions on prescription coverage.
Ian I. Mitroff

Although they have apparently competent medical staff and nice technicians, I highly recommend against using this provider.
Their operation is tightly coupled with an equipment provider. If you do not want to use their equipment provider, after much trouble and insistence you may eventually be able to extract a prescription from them, but their office and their equipment provider’s office (which are co-​located) will tirelessly harass you by robot dialer for completion of your order with them.
you can order equipment at better prices with much larger selection, online reviews, and significantly less hassle and harassment from providers like
once you manage to extricate that prescription. their robodialers will still periodically harass you. even if you appear for maintenance visits, once that initial prescription is expired, they will refuse to renew to an outside provider like
. (for anyone stuck in this predicament, i have found that
will do online renewals for a fee, so you don’t have to re-​enter this unethically linked doctor with equipment provider quagmire.)
Dr Huang has a nice disposition and I hope he finds employment elsewhere with a more honest organization.

What a travesty. I’ve had so many issues with this place that I don’t even know where to begin. I did my sleep study at the Daly City location and I will say that the tech who was there was very nice and did a great job. Everything else left me completely deflated and angered. It’s been a month and a half since my sleep study and they still have yet to follow up with me about next steps. Every time I call, I’m told somebody will call me back but they never do. I’ve seen my sleep study and I have sleep issues that need to be addressed but nobody cares enough to follow through.
I must also say that when I went to see their doctor in San Francisco, he was extremely rude and didn’t spend any time going over my results. I was out the door in less than five minutes. I didn’t need a CPAP machine so perhaps they realized my value to them as a customer was diminished and therefore wanted me gone. In addition to that they misscheduled my appointment twice, haven’t called me back after more than five phone calls, and also ignored my online messages. All in all, the absolute worst customer service I’ve experienced in a long time. Very very unhappy with this place and will NEVER recommend them to anybody. Would rather stab myself in the nose with a rusty nail than deal with these guys again.

I’ll be brief and spare fellow Unilocalers any more drama since there is enough of that in other reviews.
My only complaint the night of the sleep study was the technician failing to tell me how to breath (keep my mouth closed once I donned the CPAP mask since air was escaping). Initially, it was a disorienting experience being hooked up and all but I calmed down quickly.
The facility was fine and frankly, I didn’t care where I changed my clothes. I’ve spent many a night sleeping on the ground and under the stars during my previous active life of biking, camping and backpacking so I’m not that fussy about accommodations. Besides, I knew I was there for a sleep study, not to watch TV, lounge around, or socialize in a five-​star hotel. I hated being woken up so early the next day because I had finally drifted off into some great REM deep sleep for the first time in years.
The study confirmed severe sleep apnea and getting diagnosed and treating it has been a game changer. I sleep better, soundly and through the night and have a lot more energy and alertness. My wife is grateful I no longer snore and that I have helped to address this health issue. Dr. Eric Huang is top shelf in my book — very personable and easy going, and … damn competent. My only regret was not taking care of this sooner. I am very happy with my experience with the CCSD and have no qualms about going back and continuing my relationship with them. Remember one simple fact — it’s your health.

I took in my aunt the other day for her second sleep study and she had another positive experience. She’s been having trouble sleeping and was diagnosed with sleeping apnea after her first study. The first time l took her, we went to the lab in Alameda. The second time I took her to the one in Daly City (she lives over there so my uncle picked her up). I went with her because she doesn’t speak very good English and l wanted to make sure l could help her with paperwork and translating anything l could explain regarding the study. But they were nice enough to let me stay for a bit before putting her into bed to sleep both times. I’m gonna rate each experience as a five because my aunt was really pleased with the service she received there.
The first study was a while ago in Alameda. The rooms were a little small but it’s fine. You’re there to sleep anyways, not live there. The bed looked comfy and my aunt liked it better than the one she has at home. I actually inspected the sheets and they were actually clean and the bed had been made kinda fancy, unlike the other reviews which say differently. There was this super nice lady working there and she was very professional. She really knew a lot about apnea and how it can affect your heart and body. She added A LOT of equipment onto my aunt, but explained the purpose of each thing. In the end I was joking with the lady and my aunt, saying that she looked like a robot with everything on.
During the setup, there was another person who was having a study there and he seemed rude. He was complaining that there was no TV in the room but he was supposed to be there to freaking sleep in a controlled environment… He kept complaining about how he can’t sleep without the TV on and how he expected the rooms to look like a hotel… Really? A hotel? I thought that was kind of stupid. Hotels are for going on vacation or being away from home, not for having a medical study done. The rooms looked great for having a study done. TVs are also a distraction to sleep anyways, so the person just sounded like he wanted something to complain about. My aunt slept comfortably without her soap operas that night and she wasn’t complaining. She knew she was going in for a study, not to watch Amor Bonito on Univision!
In the morning I picked her up and she went in with her doctor about two weeks later and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Her doctor told her about CPAP and she decided she wanted to try it. So we had another appointment scheduled, but this time we picked the Daly City lab. The rooms were a little bigger here but it looked really nice and the beds were also comfy according to my aunt.
It was kind of funny, because we got the same lady we had in Alameda!!! Again, she was super nice and informative. My aunt was kind of nervous to try CPAP because the thought of having air blowing into your nose just seems scary. But that lady (I believe they’re called techs??? Let’s just go by that) tech helped me explain that she was being started at the lowest pressure and that everything was going to be fine. We went through the same setup like the first study, but this time once my aunt got into bed, she had CPAP put on her.
At first, my aunt was kind of shaky on using CPAP but after that night, she actually really liked it. Her sleep apnea doesn’t let her get very good sleep and she ended up sleeping perfectly well without waking up at night like she normally does. She even said she was having hella vivid dreams, about how she was discovering gold mines in her family’s ranch. My aunt is going back with her doctor next week and she’s going to try to get one of those machines. She was telling me how she got this comfy mask that just goes over your nose and not the whole face. She said that she saw a mask that goes over both the nose and mouth, but she was comfy with the one just over her nose. She was really impressed and satisfied with her studies, so I decided to go ahead and make a Unilocal review. My aunt and I definitely recommend this place!
Also, EDIT:
I read on another review about how you have to change in a room with a camera. I just want to say: THAT’S WHY YOU CHANGE OUT OF THE CAMERA ANGLE!!! DUH. The camera is part of the study and all you have to do is make sure you’re away from the bed and under the camera so you don’t get recorded. If that’s too uncomfortable, then go to the bathroom to change. They let you do that anyways.
I seriously feel that a lot of the other people that posted reviews look for things to complain about #sorrybutnotsorry

I wonder if the previous reviews are really for the same place I had my study? I had my sleep study done 2 weeks ago. I experienced absolutely no problems. My physician referred me, and they plugged me in for an appointment fast. It was a great place compared to another clinic where I had a previous study. I have to single out Ernesto (Ernie) who was my tech. He was professional, competent, and friendly. He didn’t miss a beat and I give him 5 stars. As to the clinic itself, it was clean, professional, and well-​located. If you have a sleep study, remember that it’s not supposed to be fun. I think some patients are alienated by the apparatus, the length of time it takes to set up, and the minor discomfort one experiences which could indeed contribute to insomnia. Compared to more uncomfortable medical procedures, I thought this one was a breeze. You’re not in a 5-​star hotel, but a sleep disorder clinic!

I really wish I could put zero stars. I also wish I had checked Unilocal before I went, but my Dr referred me here and it never occurred to me how awful this place could be. I was mortified! Like the other posters, as a woman, I was very uncomfortable with only male technicians there. I was told to change clothes (with a video camera right on me!). The whole office was FILTHY!!! There were huge smashed bugs (that looked like roaches) on the walls in the entry and my room. The layer of dust was so thick (on the breathing machine!) that it looked like snow. The masks were not sanitized and he stuck them on my face! Then he set the mask on that pile of dust! There were HAIRS in the sheets when I pulled the blankets back.
THIS PLACE IS DISGUSTING! DO NOT GO THERE!!! I wanted to walk out, but I know it would have cost a fortune. I laid in bed the whole time completely grossed out thinking about getting out of there and into a shower. I threw my clothes away because I’m worried there could have been bed bugs. Who knows. The place is disgusting. I have already reported them to their accreditation board, my insurance company and my doctor.
Also, they sent me a follow-​up email a few weeks later asking me to fill out a survey, promising a Starbucks gift card for my time. Not sure why I’m surprised, but they never bothered to send it to me after I did the survey and ignored my emails asking about it. I reported them to the BBB and their accreditation board.

I basically got overly expensive and incompetent care. They finally referred me to someone at UCSF, who rather quickly pointed out the problems in the way the California Center for Sleep Disorders was handling my case. I agree with others… this place is kind of a scam, intent on overcharging patients and giving them crappy care.

Cali center for sleep disorders is a supposedly an alternative (mission statement) to the profit-​driven side of the «sleepless industry». .
drill:
–must get faxed referral from own physician to them
–CCSD takes days to check if your health plan covers proceedure, if not,
are you willing to pay ???
–get humungous packet in mail or email.
–explanations on what to expect
–lots of medical/​personal questions to answer.
–appointment, check in time, directions
–phone call 2 days before reminding of appointment.
*asked female receptionist, what physical landmarks makes location easy to find.
receptionist essentially said easy to cake. WRONG! (details coming)
–map (not detailed) given but useless in finding location, just gets you into alameda.
–departed 9:00 from oaktown for 9:30 evening appointment
–took flyover instead of webster st. (big mistake!)
–alameda doesn’t put street placards up for atlantic st. couldn’t find it.
–backtracked to webster st., found atlantic at corner of starbux.
–no street numbers on atlantic st.
–finally saw Argosy Univesity @1005 atlantic (standing sign). turned left into driveway. saw light at side of adjoining building. Eureka! CCSD!
.5 stars for directions
testing:
–spent 1 ½ hours hooking me up, filling up forms, sitting around
–perform tests with and without breathing apparatus.
–understood i was digitally and visually monitored.
–techician (jacob) meticulous in observing, tweaking, explaining…
4 stars for medical proceedure…
sleepless in alameda:
–technician mentioned many asians and blacks have been to this location.
–receptionist probably calling from central location, not alameda.
–felt woozy afterward, took another nap. felt invorigated, better.
–results and bills furthercomng…
–no one mentioned he/​she was a medical doctor
–robot calls to remind you to make appointments are annoying.

What a nightmare, literally and figuratively. I wish I had read Lisa P.‘s review before going here again.
First, the place seemed like a fly by night operation and seemed really cheap and focused on how much money they could extract from your insurance carrier. Everytime you would call or say a word at an appointment they would ask for a copy of your insurance card.
2009 was my first sleep study: I could sleep hardly at all because there was no white noise, the bed killed my back and had some weird plastic cover one it like a 2 year old would have on his bed, and they said not to take a sleeping pill. Then the tech told me it was over at 6:00 am after not actually sleeping for more than a few hours. Plus, being hooked up to everything didn’t let me get relaxed at all. I felt tired and like crap in the morning when I left.
2011, a few weeks ago, was my last sleep study to evaluate the sleep appliance they made back in 2009 — 2010. They never called me back for a followup appointment or sleep study, probably because I was using a CPAP device and it’s all a scam as Lisa P. was talking about. Anyways, my doctor suggested I go back because I am still waking up at 3:00 am. I took my sleeping pills and Xanax luckily this time, but I still kept waking up. The tech was nice, but annoying, «WE HAVE TO KEEP THE OXYGEN CANULA ON YOUR NOSE.» With that kind of talking that trails off… NO…OZ…” It’s three in the fuckin’ morning, do what you have to do, and let me sleep. Then again at 5:45 am I get woken up and told nicely to leave.
What a shitty experience. I hope I don’t have sleep apnea, because I don’t want to do this again. I’m not normally picky, I have camped, sleeped in my car, sleeped on a hammock, sleep in a military tent on a cot, etc, but this was one of the worst overnight experiences I ever had. Probably the third worse sleeping experience ever in my life time.
Lisa P. is correct, they won’t call you back if they don’t «need you.»
Don’t be stupid like me… go ANYWHERE else… beware…you have been warned…

Never did a sleep study before, but feel I must counter the previous review. everything was clearly spelled out for me: from the rooom (which I asked to see – there are 4 by the way), bathroom (with shower) and tech room (not in front but near «bedrooms»)
Bedrooms: NOT hotel quality and leave a lot to be desired… why have the light switch far away when you need to call out to have it turned off? The bed was so soft my back still hurts.
Yes: one does have to think about the changing of clothes in a camera riddled room… I just changed in the bathroom. I knew it would be weird being watched all night… and I knew the goo would be in my hair and that I would not feel comfortable taking my shower there…
As in all health care, take control, ask questions.
Speaking of which, I am still questioning a Dr recommendation… not sure if he has a vested interest or truly believes his recommendation is the best… until I know – I won’t do it… TAKE CONTROL of your own experience.
Tech: nice guy, explained what he was doing and why. Not happy with the wake-​up time but… got to watch the sun rise!