POULSBO — The sandman has opened shop in Poulsbo.

A group of Harrison Medical Center-affiliated pulmonologists, all of whom are certified in sleep medicine, have collaborated to open a branch of Kitsap Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine on Seventh Street. The center started accepting patients on the pulmonary side of the house earlier this month and began conducting sleep studies on June 15.

“We thought it was a good idea and a good time to move to North Kitsap,” said Jay Ellis, who manages the pulmonary side of the business. The full range of services includes pulmonary function testing, which evaluates how a patient’s respiratory system is working.

Physicians rotate their time between the Poulsbo center, Harrison Bremerton and the practice’s other sleep center, located across the street from Harrison Bremerton.

Patients who receive a referral from their primary physician are screened by one of the pulmonologists who occupy one of the eight exam rooms. The doctor will decide if a sleep study is necessary to diagnose the issue.

If a study is warranted, patients are asked to show up, pajamas and personal effects in hand, and spend the night in one of the center’s fully equipped sleeping rooms.

The rooms are set up for a night of respite: Soothing colors and artwork showcasing the Pacific Northwest — including Galloping Gertie, before she fell to the bottom of the Tacoma Narrows — adorn the walls. Each bedroom also has a private bath, designed to mesh with the bedrooms.

The bedrooms are furnished with Sleep Number beds, pillows and linen, though patients are encouraged to bring their own pillows if that helps them sleep, said Ed Grandbois, manager of the sleep center. Rooms also have infrared cameras that can see in the pitch dark so sleep center staff can monitor patients throughout the night. A microphone and speaker system also allow patients two-way communication with the staff. The center is currently set up to host six patients at a time.

There are about 84 known sleep disorders and about 50-60 million Americans suffer from an undiagnosed sleep disorder, said Grandbois, a 16-year veteran of sleep medicine who previously worked for Stevens Hospital in Edmonds.

Ellis said the new center’s reach is meant to expand to patients beyond Kitsap County’s borders.

“We feared that a lot of people were going to Seattle for their care and could be getting full services on this side of the water,” he said.

Kitsap Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine

19917 7th Ave. Ste. 210

Poulsbo

(360) 479-8022

www.kpsmhealth.com