Dr. Halstrom Teams Up To Launch New Oral Appliance – Sleep Apnea Micro-recorder For Transportation and High Risk Occupations
Ground-breaking Canadian Technology Delivers Safety and Optimal Treatment Protocol in Advance of Pending Transport Regulations

Vancouver, BC – June 16, 2015 – Dr. Halstrom Sleep Apnea & Snoring Clinics, a pioneer of sleep apnea / snoring devices and therapy, proudly announced today it has joined the team of Canadian sleep technology company Braebon Medical Corporation, and Mr. David Gergen of Gergen’s Orthodontic Lab to lead the way in assisting workers and companies to meet tomorrows regulations today.

While CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) devices have for several years provided compliance monitoring, this important safety and regulatory feature is just now moving into the mainstream to provide high risk occupation patients with the often more desirable oral appliance alternative.

Dr. Halstrom has been involved for several years in various outreach and screening programs for the workplace setting, partnering with the Thompson Rivers University Centre for Respiratory Health & Sleep Science.

Today there are companies across North America embracing screening, testing, and treatment for their workers in advance of regulations. Recently USA Today reported that ” Metro-North has referred more than a quarter of its locomotive engineers for sleep apnea testing as part of a pilot program in response to a fatal train derailment. Earlier this year, the railroad’s Occupational Health Services department gave physical exams and a survey to 320 of its 406 engineers. Based on that screening, 84 will be referred to a sleep disorder specialist for further evaluation, officials said.”

CBC News reported in October 2014 that “Train operators in Canada’s burgeoning freight rail industry report falling asleep at the controls and coming to work exhausted at an alarmingly high rate”.

Pilots, drivers and engineers in particular are going to face both ever increasing public scrutiny, and evolving regulatory requirements related to fatigue and sleep apnea. While it will take time for some of the pending regulations to become law, there is an undeniable trend toward regulations that will better protect both the public and workers.

According to the Canadian Lung Association “sleep apnea is actually quite common, however, most people who have sleep apnea are unaware of the symptoms and subsequently have not been effective diagnosed. We know that:

• 20% of adults have at least mild sleep apnea (1 in 5 adults)
• almost 7% of adults have at least moderate sleep apnea (1 in 15 adults)
• 2 – 3% of children are likely to have sleep apnea”

The health consequences, costs, and detriment to the workplace of untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) have been well documented. Successful treatment of OSA using both Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Oral Appliances is similarly unequivocally illustrated. With screening, testing and treatment readily available, we encourage all employers both large and small to consider implementing a program that will enhance quality of life, encourage healthy productive workers, and increase workplace safety.