Long-term adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea remains suboptimal and low adherence increases healthcare costs. This study investigated relationships between CPAP adherence and the intensity of support provided by homecare providers after implementation of telemonitoring and pay-for-performance reimbursement for CPAP in France.

Adults who started CPAP in 2018/2019, used telemonitoring, and had ≥1 year of homecare provider data were eligible. The main objective was to determine associations between CPAP adherence at 1 month (low [<2h/night], intermediate [2 to <4h/night], high [≥4h/night]) and the number/type of homecare provider interactions (home visits, phone calls, mask change) during the first year.

Eleven thousand, one hundred sixty-six individuals were included (mean age 59.8±12.7 years, 67% male). The number of homecare provider interactions per person increased significantly as 1-month CPAP usage decreased (7.65±4.3, 6.5±4.0, 5.4±3.4 in low, intermediate and high adherence groups; p<0.01). There was marked improvement in device usage over the first 5–6 months of therapy in the low and intermediate adherence subgroups (p<0.05 after adjustment for age, sex, initial CPAP adherence, and number of interactions). After adjustment for age, sex and 1-month adherence, having 3–4 interactions was significantly associated with better 1-year adherence (odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.05–1.46), while having >7 interactions was significantly associated with worse 1-year adherence.

The telemonitoring/reimbursement scheme in France had a positive impact on CPAP adherence and facilitated a more personalised approach to therapy management, focusing resources on patients with low and intermediate adherence.