CTA, OSA Canada launch sleep apnea pilot program

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OTTAWA, Ont. — The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) and OSA Canada have launched what they’re describing as a “first of its kind” pilot project to deliver a full-service sleep apnea program to Canadian commercial truck drivers.

As part of the program, OSA Canada will visit fleets to screen, test and diagnose drivers and then equip and train drivers suffering from sleep apnea on the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) equipment. The entire process will take 72 hours or less, OSA Canada announced, and the program is available to fleets across the country.

OSA also offers ongoing monitoring of CPAP equipment usage to ensure driver comfort and compliance, the company says. It charges fleets a monthly fee for the service.

“The OSA Canada program will offer a turnkey solution for fleets whose commercial drivers are dealing with the challenges of sleep apnea,” said Mark Sylvia, president, OSA. “Carriers will never have to worry about access to sleep beds, CPAP machines breaking down or drivers having difficulty finding the right mask; equipment will be replaced and re-fitted no questions asked.”

OSA Canada’s program was developed with Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics in the US, an organization that has screened more than 40,000 professional drivers for fleets including Schneider National and Swift Transportation.

“We at PPD are very happy to provide our unmatched experience and expertise in the delivery of the OSA Canada program. With our involvement, clients of OSA Canada can be assured from day one they will be dealing with a full service sleep apnea solution team that is driver-focused and on standby to assist 24-7,” said Dr. Mark Berger, president of PPD and senior medical advisor to OSA Canada. “Our years of experience have helped us to understand the issues and concerns of trucking managers and their drivers. Our program is based on a full service model. Competitors may want to sell machines to the industry in Canada, but through OSA Canada they can rest easy knowing they will be provided a solution that fits the needs of individual drivers and companies and is backed by our unparalleled customer support.”

It’s widely believed that there will come a time when all commercial drivers will have to be screened for sleep apnea. The US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently adopted 11 recommendations related to sleep apnea in the trucking industry, including requiring all drivers with a body mass index higher than 35 to be tested for the condition.

“FMCSA took a significant step toward potential regulation of the screening and treatment of drivers at risk for obstructive sleep apnea,” said CTA CEO David Bradley. “Although it may still take some time for this regulation to materialize, the CTA has been working on a solution for all Canadian carriers regardless of where they are domiciled – the creation of OSA Canada has provided that solution.”

Fleets interested in participating in the pilot program can contact OSA Canada’s Sandy Pollock at 289-337-8892 or spollock@osacan.com. The program is also being offered by provincial associations including the BCTA, AMTA, APTA, MTA, OTA and STA.

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  • Those with a BMI of 35 or more may be at a larger risk for sleep apnea, however, wouldn’t it just be better to screen everyone as part of the medical requirements for a CDL? Average to slender body weights are not necessarily an indicator that a person’s health is better than that of a heavier colleague. Adnoids, tonsils, smoking habits and certain allergies can also have a profound effect in this area. Many of the so-called physicians who “rubber-stamp” a driver’s medical should be called to account for their cavalier attitude toward the seriousness fo the requirements.

  • Will there be L1 facilities available,or a network of sleep physicians, it’s not as simple as everyone thinks it is and it’s important to have sleep physician involvement.. Not all cases can be identified with portable and in some cases it’s actually dangerous to go portable to PAP machine. About 80-90% can be done portable, but it’s important to be able to do both and have the expertise capable of making appropriate diagnoses and recommendations.

  • It is my understanding this program has gone nowhere! Doug is right, clearly this isn’t as easy as osacanada thinks.