Hassen Sleep Science — Michigan & California Licensed

Sleep apnea isn't just poor sleep. It's suffocation.

Every time your airway narrows or collapses during sleep, airflow is interrupted and your blood oxygen drops — sometimes for 30 seconds, sometimes longer, sometimes hundreds of times a night. Your brain is forced into a micro-arousal just to restore breathing. Then it happens again.

CPAP therapy can end that cycle — but only if it's set up correctly and tailored to you. I take the time to listen, understand your experience, and find the combination that actually works. Serving patients and organizations across Michigan via telehealth.

Solutions Over Expediency

I take the time to find what actually works for you — not the fastest fix, but the right one.

Science-Guided Care

Every recommendation is grounded in physiology, airway dynamics, and proven clinical data.

True Partnership

Your experience matters. I listen first, then we solve the problem together.

This Isn't About Snoring. It's About Survival.

Each apnea event is like being held underwater — your airway collapses, oxygen is compromised, and your body fights to breathe.

Most people think sleep apnea means loud snoring and feeling tired. The clinical reality is far more serious.

During an apnea event, your upper airway partially or fully collapses. Airflow is reduced or cut off, and oxygen delivery to your blood is interrupted. Your oxygen saturation drops — sometimes significantly. Your sympathetic nervous system activates: heart rate increases, blood pressure spikes, and your brain triggers a micro-arousal to restore airway patency.

Then you fall back asleep. And the cycle repeats. In severe cases, 30 or more times per hour, all night long.

Night after night, this cycle damages your cardiovascular system, strains your heart, impairs your cognition, and increases your risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and depression. Your body keeps the score — even when you don't remember waking up.

That's why getting CPAP therapy right isn't optional. It's not about compliance checkboxes or hitting a number on a report. It's about keeping your airway open.

Comprehensive Care, Tailored to You

Most CPAP setups follow a script: here's your machine, here's your mask, call us if there's a problem. But every airway is different, every patient sleeps differently, and every type of sleep apnea responds to a different strategy. Getting it right takes time, attention, and clinical depth.

"The difference between a patient who quits CPAP and one who thrives is almost never the machine. It's whether someone took the time to get the details right."

I draw from thousands of patient interactions to recognize patterns that others miss — the dynamics of airflow through your upper airway, how pressure interacts with anatomy, why a mask that works perfectly for one person creates unbearable leak for another.

This isn't guesswork. It's the intersection of clinical judgment, data analysis, and genuine attention to what you're experiencing. And it's why I spend the time that other providers can't.

What a Comprehensive Evaluation Covers

  • Attentive Listening & History
    Understanding your sleep patterns, symptoms, comfort concerns, and what's been tried before
  • Therapy Data Analysis
    Reviewing your nightly AHI trends, leak patterns, pressure response, and usage data to find hidden issues
  • Mask Selection & Fit Optimization
    Matching mask type and size to your facial anatomy, breathing style, and comfort preferences
  • Comfort & Climate Settings
    Fine-tuning humidity, tube temperature, ramp settings, and EPR/pressure relief for your comfort
  • Prescription Adjustment Recommendations
    When the data shows your current pressure isn't optimal, I provide evidence-based recommendations to your physician

Every Type of Sleep Apnea. Every Patient.

Different conditions demand different strategies. Cookie-cutter therapy doesn't work.

Obstructive (OSA)

Airway collapse during sleep. Requires careful pressure titration and mask selection to maintain patency without over-pressurizing.

Central (CSA)

Inadequate central respiratory drive — not obstruction. May require bilevel or adaptive servo-ventilation depending on the underlying etiology.

Mixed Apnea

Both central and obstructive components. Demands nuanced therapy that addresses dual mechanisms without worsening either.

Positional OSA

Obstructive events concentrated in supine or specific sleep positions. Pressure adjustments and positional strategies can significantly improve outcomes.

What I Offer

From your first night on CPAP to long-term optimization, I'm here to help at every stage.

Comprehensive CPAP Evaluation

Full review of your therapy data, device settings, mask fit, and symptom history. We identify what's working and what needs to change.

Comfort & Settings Optimization

Fine-tuning pressure, humidity, tube temperature, EPR, and ramp settings to maximize comfort and minimize residual events.

Mask Selection & Troubleshooting

Matching the right mask type and size to your facial structure, breathing habits, and comfort. Solving leak, pressure marks, and claustrophobia issues.

Prescription Recommendations

When your data tells a clear story, I prepare evidence-based recommendations for your physician — with the clinical rationale to support them.

Ongoing Monitoring & Coaching

Regular check-ins to track your progress, catch problems early, and adjust as your needs evolve. I stay with you until therapy feels right.

Telehealth Consultations

Expert guidance from anywhere. We review your data together, discuss your concerns, and develop a plan — all from the comfort of your home.

Partner With Hassen Sleep Science

DME companies, hospice agencies, home health organizations, and sleep clinics across Michigan — I help your team deliver better CPAP outcomes while reducing costly non-compliance.

Staff Training & Education

Equip your respiratory therapists and clinical staff with advanced CPAP troubleshooting, mask fitting techniques, and patient compliance strategies. Virtual or on-site in Michigan.

Compliance Data Analytics

Leverage data-driven insights to identify at-risk patients before they abandon therapy. I analyze CPAP compliance trends across your patient population to target interventions where they matter most.

Protocol & Program Development

Build or improve your sleep therapy program with evidence-based protocols for CPAP setup, patient follow-up, escalation pathways, and compliance tracking workflows.

Virtual RT Support

Extend your clinical reach without adding headcount. I provide on-demand telehealth CPAP consultations for your patients — white-labeled or co-branded, seamlessly integrated into your workflow.

Whether you're a DME company looking to reduce CPAP returns, a hospice agency needing respiratory support, or a sleep clinic seeking a consulting partner — let's talk.

Discuss a Partnership

Clinical Depth You Can Trust

The insights I bring to your care come from years at the bedside, thousands of patient conversations, and rigorous clinical research.

10+
Years of Clinical Experience
3,200+
CPAP Patients Managed
12
Peer-Reviewed Publications
6
Clinical Sites Served

Data informs. It doesn't replace judgment.

Working with thousands of CPAP patients has given me an intuition for what's going wrong — often before the numbers fully confirm it. But intuition alone isn't enough, and numbers alone aren't either.

The patient who says "I can't tolerate the pressure" needs someone who understands both the physiology of pressure intolerance and the anxiety of wearing a mask every night. The patient with a "normal" AHI but persistent fatigue needs someone who looks beyond the headline number to leak patterns, sleep architecture, and positional data.

That's what comprehensive care means: the clinical depth to understand what's happening, the analytical rigor to prove it, and the patience to explain it in a way that makes you feel heard.

"I'd been ready to throw my CPAP in the closet. Kasim actually listened to what I was experiencing, adjusted my settings based on my data, and found me a mask that doesn't leak. For the first time in months, I'm sleeping through the night."

— CPAP Patient, San Diego

Meet Kasim Hassen, MD, RRT, RCP

Kasim Hassen, MD, RRT, RCP
"I became a respiratory therapist because I believe breathing well is the foundation of living well. I became a doctor to deeply understand the disease processes behind it."
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist
  • Michigan RCP #4401010875
  • California RCP #49031
  • ACGME Internal Medicine Training
  • NICU / ICU / Acute Care / Home Vent
  • BLS / ACLS / NRP Certified

I've spent over a decade in respiratory care — from managing ventilators in neonatal ICUs to coordinating clinical research, completing an internal medicine internship, and working directly with CPAP patients in their homes.

My medical training gives me a deep understanding of respiratory physiology, airway dynamics, and the mechanics of positive-pressure ventilation. But what I'm most proud of is the clinical intuition that comes from years of sitting with patients, listening to their frustrations, and figuring out what other providers missed.

I've learned that the difference between compliance and abandonment often comes down to a mask that's one size off, a humidity setting that causes rainout, or a pressure that's technically correct but functionally unbearable. These are solvable problems. They just require someone who cares enough to solve them.

My research background means I don't rely on intuition alone. I analyze your therapy data with the same rigor I applied to peer-reviewed clinical studies — and I translate those findings into changes you can actually feel.

Peer-Reviewed Research

  • Hassen K, Fitzgerald K, Ines F, Katheria AC. Comparative accuracy of a wireless heart rate monitor (NeoBeat) versus standard EKG during resuscitation of very premature neonates. Resuscitation. 2025.
  • Katheria AC, Szychowski JM, Essers J, Mendler MR, Dempsey EM, Schmolzer GM, Arnell K, Rich WD, Hassen K, et al. Early cardiac and cerebral hemodynamics with umbilical cord milking compared with delayed cord clamping in infants born preterm. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2020.
  • Katheria AC, Hassen K, Rich W, Poeltler D, Finer N. Resuscitation outcomes of infants that do not achieve a 5 min target SpO2 saturation. Journal of Perinatology. 2019.
  • Katheria AC, Sorkhi SR, Hassen K, Faksh A, Ghorishi Z, Poeltler D. Acceptability of bedside resuscitation with intact umbilical cord to clinicians and patients' families in the United States. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2018.
  • Ruangkit C, Leon M, Hassen K, Baker K, Poeltler D, Katheria A. Maternal bleeding complications following early versus delayed umbilical cord clamping in multiple pregnancies. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2018.
  • Katheria AC, Harbert MJ, Nagaraj SB, Arnell K, Poeltler DM, Brown MK, Rich W, Hassen KO, Finer N. The Neu-Prem Trial: neuromonitoring of brains of infants born preterm during resuscitation. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2018.
  • Brown MK, Poeltler DM, Hassen KO, Lazarus DV, Brown VK, Stout JJ, Rich WD, Katheria AC. Incidence of hypocapnia, hypercapnia, and acidosis and the associated risk of adverse events in preterm neonates. Respiratory Care. 2018.
  • Katheria V, Poeltler DM, Brown MK, Hassen KO, Patel D, Rich W, Finer NN, Katheria AC. Early prediction of a significant patent ductus arteriosus in infants <32 weeks gestational age. Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 2018.
  • Katheria A, Mercer J, Brown M, Rich W, Baker K, Harbert MJ, Pierce B, Hassen K, Finer N. Umbilical cord milking at birth for term newborns with acidosis: neonatal outcomes. Journal of Perinatology. 2018.
  • Katheria A, Arnell K, Brown M, Hassen K, Maldonado M, Rich W, Finer N. A pilot randomized controlled trial of EKG for neonatal resuscitation. PLoS ONE. 2017.
  • Katheria AC, Brown MK, Faksh A, Hassen KO, Rich W, Lazarus D, Steen J, Daneshmand SS, Finer NN. Delayed cord clamping in newborns born at term at risk for resuscitation: a feasibility randomized clinical trial. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2017.
  • Katheria AC, Brown MK, Hassan K, Poeltler DM, Patel DA, Brown VK, Sauberan JB. Hemodynamic effects of sodium bicarbonate administration. Journal of Perinatology. 2017.

Transparent Pricing. No Surprises.

Every session is one-on-one with a licensed clinician — respiratory therapist and physician. No call centers, no scripts, no runaround.

Start Here

Comprehensive Evaluation

$150
60 minutes · One-Time · Telehealth
  • In-depth conversation about your sleep and CPAP experience
  • Full therapy data review (AHI, leak, pressure, usage)
  • Mask fit assessment & recommendations
  • Comfort & climate settings optimization
  • Prescription adjustment recommendations for your physician
  • Written summary & personalized action plan
Book Your Evaluation
Best Value

Ongoing Care Membership

$1/day
$30/month · Cancel Anytime
  • Unlimited follow-up sessions — book as often as you need
  • Direct text & email access — message me anytime with questions or concerns
  • Behind-the-scenes monitoring — I watch your therapy data so you don't have to
  • Proactive adjustment recommendations before problems escalate
  • Monthly progress report with trends & insights
  • Priority scheduling & same-day responses
Start Your Membership

Requires initial Comprehensive Evaluation

All sessions are telehealth via secure video. No insurance billing — straightforward cash-pay pricing. Cancel your membership anytime, no commitments.

Better sleep starts with someone who listens.

If your CPAP therapy isn't working the way it should, let's figure out why — and fix it together.

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Let's Talk About Your CPAP Experience

Whether you're newly diagnosed, struggling with an existing setup, or just want a second opinion — I'm here to help.

Licensed In

Michigan & California
Serving Michigan patients — telehealth available statewide

What to expect: The initial consultation is a thorough conversation about your CPAP experience, followed by a detailed review of your therapy data. Come ready to share what's bothering you — no concern is too small.