Preliminary results of a clinical trial focused on testing and treating truck drivers with sleep apnea have been positive, according to SleepSafeDrivers Inc, Laguna Niguel, Calif, a national provider of sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment programs for trucker fleets. The clinical trial is a collaborative effort among SleepSafeDrivers, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc, Lowell, Ark, and Fusion Sleep LLC, a provider of clinical sleep medicine services to patients and employers in Georgia.
“We are committed to enhancing the safety and health of our drivers, and SleepSafeDrivers is helping us get that done," said Greer Woodruff, senior vice president of corporate safety and security at J.B. Hunt. "One of our Million Mile drivers recently told us that he felt the sleep apnea program had literally saved his life. After starting APAP therapy, that driver has lost 115 pounds, knocked out his challenging and chronic daytime fatigue, and was able to begin exercising again for the first time in years. There is absolutely no doubt that he is healthier and safer as a result of the program.”
The trial will document any cost savings from reduced medical expenses and lower accidents as a consequence of the program. Additionally, J.B. Hunt is accelerating the pace of the trial and expects to continue expanding the program over time.
“The goal of the trial is to quantify the health benefits and document changes in fatigue-related accidents and safety as a consequence of this unique program. Preliminary findings already demonstrate real and significant health benefits, and we anticipate that this research will provide us with the most comprehensive data and cost-effective model for disease and accident prevention in the trucking industry,” said principal investigator Jeffrey Durmer, MD, PhD, chief medical officer of Fusion Sleep.
The SleepSafeDrivers program features On-Site testing and Sure Compliance treatment programs designed specifically for truckers. The programs test drivers for sleep apnea using outpatient testing via ambulatory tests wherever the driver is sleeping that night.
