Catholic Health Services: MTA Workers to be Tested for Sleep Apnea

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y., Jan. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over the years, adverse incidents involving public transportation have been linked to sleep deprivation or sleep disorders. To address this issue, the MTA announced this week that it has expanded its screening and treatment to include Metro-North Rail Road and Long Island Rail Road conductors and train engineers for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, selecting four organizations to manage the testing. Catholic Health Services (CHS), in collaboration with United Sleep Diagnostics (USD), has been awarded the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) sleep apnea testing contract.

"CHS is excited to be working with USD to offer this critical service for MTA employees," said Ron Steimel, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for CHS's Mercy Medical Center. "Reflecting a growing awareness regarding the severity of sleep disorders, the MTA has made screening a priority, ensuring enhanced safety for all."

Sleep disorders include conditions such as snoring and insomnia and potentially serious disorders such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. Both men and women who have a sleep disorder often awake feeling groggy and may experience daytime drowsiness or suffer from brain fog, or confusion. Sleep disorders that are undiagnosed can cause problems with an individual's daily routine. People with obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing for short periods of time and are likely to experience a wide range of health issues.

MTA employees will undergo sleep apnea screenings at one of CHS/USD sleep medicine centers in Nassau /Suffolk/NYC/ Brooklyn/Queens and Rockland County. All testing at CHS/USD Sleep Centers is conducted by certified technologists and interpreted by board certified sleep specialists.

For more information regarding this service and other CHS services, please call 516-218-9097.

Catholic Health Services (CHS) is an integrated system encompassing some of the region's finest health and human services agencies. With 22,000 staff members, 6 acute care hospitals, 3 nursing homes, a home nursing service, hospice, a community-based agency for persons with special needs and a regional lab, CHS's high standards have resulted in a 23% market share.

SOURCE Catholic Health Services of Long Island