Healthcare Costs Slashed By Employer-Driven Sleep Apnea Treatment Program

HOUSTON, Oct. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A joint study conducted by Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics, Harvard Medical School, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the University of Minnesota-Morris has demonstrated that employer-sponsored sleep apnea screening, diagnosis, and treatment yields significant health cost savings in employee health insurance claim costs. The study analyzed over 1,200 commercial truck drivers diagnosed with sleep apnea through their employer's sponsored program and compared their non-sleep apnea related health claims over a four-year period. Drivers with sleep apnea who accepted treatment (Positive Airway Pressure, aka "CPAP") saved on average $441 in non-sleep apnea health costs per month when compared to drivers who were not treated.  This study, entitled "Employer-Mandated Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment and Healthcare Cost Savings Among Truckers", published in the peer-reviewed medical journal SLEEP, [https://academic.oup.com/sleep/advance-article/doi/10.1093/sleep/zsz262/5606928?searchresult=1] reveals a clear example where effective screening, diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea lowers global health insurance claims and costs in employees afflicted with this condition.

Sleep apnea is estimated to affect up to 37% of adults in North America, according to a scientific review presented in June 2019 at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies annual meeting. The resultant poor sleep quality and quantity experienced by those with this condition has been linked to worsening other medical conditions including cardiovascular, neurological, and metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

Dr. Mark Berger, President and CEO of Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics (dba Precision Sleep Solutions) www.pss-sleep.com commented, "Obstructive sleep apnea continues to be an unrecognized, insidious driver of excessive and avoidable healthcare costs for all employers. Addressing the epidemic magnitude of this condition in society can dramatically reduce employer healthcare costs. Precision Sleep Solutions wishes to acknowledge Schneider National for elevating the standard for employee safety and health for all other employers to follow. We at PSS are grateful to Schneider National for their continued trust and confidence in our partnership since 2005."    

Additionally, the study found that there were cost savings enjoyed by the employer derived from reduced driver turnover and improved driver retention. While this most recent study focused on the employee health insurance cost savings from treating sleep apnea among employees, an earlier companion research study published in May, 2016 by the same research consortium, "Nonadherence with Employer-Mandated Sleep Apnea Treatment and Increased Risk of Serious Truck Crashes" [http://dx.doi.org/10.5665/sleep.5734] concluded that untreated obstructive sleep apnea among commercial vehicle operators resulted in a five-fold greater risk of a serious, preventable crash in a non-treated driver. Commercial drivers with sleep apnea who were treated had a crash risk that was identical to drivers without sleep apnea.

Taken together, these two studies make a compelling argument for employers across all industries that the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea through an employer-sponsored program yields material improvements to employee health and safety. They can significantly drive down the costs associated with their workforce health and safety insurance claims.

About Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics: Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics, doing business as Precision Sleep Solutions, provides comprehensive, turnkey fatigue management programs to support the safety and health of employees suffering from sleep apnea. Established in 2006, PSS developed a patented business model for integrating the delivery of sleep apnea disease management catering to a mobile workforce on a national basis. To date PSS has screened over 60,000 drivers, tested over 13,000 drivers and treated over 11,000 drivers for sleep apnea.

To learn more about the benefits of employer-sponsored sleep apnea management programs, please contact Brian Kinnerk at Precision Sleep Solutions: www.pss-sleep.com; (866)-370-3102, ext. 4930.

SOURCE Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics

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