Founder of first accredited sleep center on Native American reservation joins Northern Arizona VA Home Sleep Apnea Clinic

He felt honored to be entrusted with this opportunity to assist an underserved community, so he gladly accepted. 

Six months after opening in 2017, the center became the first accredited sleep center by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to be located on a Self-Determination Native American Reservation, setting a national precedent for sleep health care in Native American communities. 

“I’m very proud to have advanced the quality of sleep medicine for a community that really needed it,” Sebastian said. "Our Native American populations remain significantly underserved in healthcare. Many Native Americans face high rates of comorbidities, which can be influenced by various factors, including social and environmental challenges. These issues contribute to a lower life expectancy compared to other populations."

As a young man, Sebastian served in the U.S. Navy, where he gained valuable experience as a combat corpsman for the U.S. Marine Corps. His fellow service members fondly referred to him as “Doc”. 

“As a combat corpsman, I worked very similar to a physician assistant,” Sebastian said. “I took care of any injuries that the marines encountered in deployments, from open fractures, to heat exhaustion, to severe dehydration, suturing lacerations, skin rashes, to the common cold.”

Soon after transitioning out of the military, he discovered his passion for sleep medicine and has since accrued more than 25 years of experience helping patients overcome their sleep ailments. 

Sebastian now serves as a sleep technologist at Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Home Sleep Apnea Clinic in Prescott. 

“Veterans come to me saying they’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I’m fortunately able to drastically improve their quality of life by helping them sleep better,” Sebastian said. “It’s an honor of mine to serve my fellow Veterans.”  

Northern Arizona VA’s Home Sleep Apnea Clinic focuses on identifying symptoms of sleep apnea and then prescribing a treatment plan that meets each patient’s needs. 

Signs of sleep apnea include daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, and witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep. When a veteran reports these symptoms to their VA primary care provider, a sleep consult can be requested. If criteria are met, a home sleep apnea test is offered. Home testing offers a more accurate view of normal sleep patterns because subjects can sleep in their own bed and environment, thus eliminating a delayed sleep onset. After testing, a sleep physician reviews the results and recommends further care. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to heart disease, stroke, and has been linked to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Treatment options for sleep apnea include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP); a mandibular advancement device, which is sometimes used for mild to moderate sleep apnea; and Inspire Sleep, which is often used for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

“CPAP is still the golden standard of treatment for sleep apnea,” Sebastian said. “CPAP technology has also come a long way over the years, so those who have tried it in the past and had trouble adjusting to it might find the newer models more tolerable.” 

Sebastian is a founding board member of the Arizona Sleep Society and has played a pivotal role in advancing the field of sleep medicine throughout the Southwest. His contributions include training numerous Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs) to achieve certification as Registered Polysomnographic Sleep Technologists (RPSGT), opening dozens of sleep disorder centers across the region, and teaching Polysomnography at Gateway Community College.

Prior to joining NAVAHCS, Sebastian worked with the New England VA Healthcare System, collaborating with Harvard-trained sleep physicians. His extensive experience and dedication to advancing sleep medicine make him a valuable addition to the Northern Arizona VA team.

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Photo captions: 

1. Troy “Doc” Sebastian sleep technologist at Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Home Sleep Apnea Clinic in Prescott. (Luke Clayton, NAVAHCS)
2. Troy “Doc” Sebastian rappels down a cliff face during a training exercise with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Okinawa Japan, 1992. Sebastian was a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman and served from 1988 to 1993. (Courtesy Photo)
3. Troy “Doc” Sebastian poses for a photo during a training exercise with his 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines staff sergeant in Okinawa, Japan, 1992. Sebastian was a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman and served from 1988 to 1993. (Courtesy Photo)