HOUSTON, TX – October 25, 2019
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, 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 (NYSE: SNDR) 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” 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.
CHICAGO, May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The National Safety Council presented its prestigious Green Cross for Safety Awards to organizations that have helped save lives and prevent injuries. The Council presented the Excellence Award to Nationwide, the Innovation Award to Schneider and the Advocate Award to Progressive Agriculture Foundation. National Safety Council leadership and award sponsors recognized each winner during a ceremony on Thursday at Chicago’s Swissôtel that brought together the best and brightest in safety while raising funds for mission-critical initiatives.
“Nationwide, Schneider and Progressive Agriculture Foundation all stood out for making safety a critical part of their efforts,” said Nick Smith, interim president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “They share the Council’s mission to eliminate preventable deaths and make the world safer. We are proud to honor them and to recognize all the outstanding finalists.”
Agriculture is a particularly deadly industry, and Progressive Agriculture Foundation was determined to change culture. The award-winning project, Progressive Agriculture Safety Days, provides education, training and resources to make farm, ranch and rural life safer and healthier for children and communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Progressive Agriculture Safety Days has impacted more than 1.7 million children and adults since 1995. In 2018, 38 states, eight Canadian provinces and American Samoa offered nearly 400 Progressive Agriculture Safety Days.
Seventy-five percent of employers have been directly impacted by opioid misuse, according to an NSC survey. Nationwide established the Substance Use Response Plan to educate leaders and associates, help keep its workplace safer and substance-free, and help moderate benefit expenses. The Substance Use Response Plan includes monthly training to help leaders recognize impairment in the workplace, and innovative activities for associates, such as providing drug destruction bags. Under the plan, associates who are impaired at work are given the option for treatment rather than terminated. Since 2015, 100 percent of associates who have successfully completed the two-year follow-up program have maintained sobriety.
Forty-three percent of Americans admit they may be too tired to function safely at work, according to NSC research. In 2006, Schneider became the first large-scale employer to create a program that identifies drivers at risk for obstructive sleep apnea and provides them with treatment. Internal risk analysis shows fatigue-related incidents declined by 44 percent. Schneider saw a 30 percent increase in retention above the fleet average for drivers being treated for sleep apnea. Additionally, the company saved over $300 each month for each driver receiving treatment.
The nine finalists for the three award categories were selected, reviewed and evaluated by an external panel. Finalists for the Advocate Award included Maryland State Police Professional Development Unit, and Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Aty of the University of Central Florida. Safety Excellence Award finalists included Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and TransOptions. Safety Innovation Award finalists included Accenture and Chevron, and The Dow Chemical Company.
Green Cross for Safety Awards sponsors included FirstGroup (Advocate Award), Schneider Electric (Excellence Award) and UPS (Innovation Award). Visit greencross.nsc.org for additional information about each winner and finalist.
