Before We Begin

Every trucking company has its own unique concerns and preferences concerning how a program should run within their organization. Because of this, the SLEEP ACCESS® program starts with listening and discussing with you any particular thoughts you may have on the way you would like your company’s program to run. After hearing your concerns and what direction you would like to take the program we are able customize almost every aspect of the program to meet your expectations. The customization process can take as little as a few days or a few weeks depending on the size and the scope of the customization.

Education, Education, Education

Before starting you company’s program, we like to take at least a thirty day window and work with your company to educate the various key personnel on how the program operates and what they can expect throughout the process. This includes talking with any specific company approved DOT physicians and walking them through their all important role in the process. It also serves a way to educate drivers on what the program is, what it means for them and what they can expect if flagged for needing a sleep test. The more educated a driver is on the potential benefits the program has for them the better equipped they will be to make any new transitions to PAP therapy if needed.

Driver Screening for OSA Risk

Screening your fleet for the risk or prevalence towards having sleep apnea is one of the most important components in any fatigue management program. Within our program the timing, methodology and tools used for screening are fully customizable per company to allow for greater flexibility within each fleet’s program.

For your convenience we offer all fleets the use of our fully HIPAA compliant online screening program that follows the recommendations of the FMCSA/MRB/MCSAC in screening drivers for the risk of having sleep apnea. This online screening tool can also be fully customized by each company to allow for individual concerns or distinctions from fleet to fleet. Online screening can be done all at once, prior to DOT Physical, during the DOT Physical or whenever the company would like and makes for a convenient way to assess the risk of sleep apnea within your fleet.

Whichever methods of screening your company decides to utilize the next step is a review of those screening results by the company or driver’s DOT physician. Each driver’s screen is reviewed and assessed by the DOT physician to say whether the driver needs a sleep test or not. If the determination is made that the driver needs a sleep test, the DOT Physician creates the prescription for a sleep test right on our website. This allows the DOT physician to retain control of their own patient as the requesting physician and also keeps them from having to refer the driver outside of themself to another physician. It also assures that all testing results and potential compliance information is reported back directly to the DOT physician without having to make extra requests or hunting the information down.

The Testing Process

In efforts to keep costs low for the company and/or the driver our SLEEP ACCESS® Network partners utilize the highest quality ambulatory, or home based, sleep testing technology and devices available. This testing method allows us to save you time and money over traditional in lab sleep testing and has been shown to give results that are just as effective in determining if a patient has Obstructive Sleep Apnea. With a full chain of custody program in place for sleep testing we are able to test drivers at home or any other location of the company or driver’s choosing. In lab testing can also be provided by request and can help to determine if a driver has another condition that is causing fatigue that may be highlighted by the initial sleep test.

The day after the test the results are uploaded from the testing device to one of our testing and diagnostic partners. Each sleep test is scored and reviewed by a Board Certified Sleep Physician to make the determination as to whether or not a driver has Obstructive Sleep Apnea. All parts of the SLEEP ACCESS® program are conducted at an ‘arms length’ transaction approach. This means the diagnostic physicians in our network NEVER receive a benefit in any way from a positive or negative diagnosis. This ensures that the results are never clouded by any potential vested interest in selling treatment equipment or other services and allows your company to feel confident that you are always getting fair and honest results at all times.

Treatment and Compliance

If a driver is diagnosed positive for OSA then they will be placed on treatment by one of our local treatment partners as soon as that diagnosis is known. All of the treatments in our program are done on the highest quality Auto-adjusting PAP machines available. This allows for greater comfort and ultimately directly translates into an easier transition for the driver into treatment; which means greater compliance moving forward.

For each treated driver we work hard to make sure they are as comfortable as they can be with their treatment. Through our nationwide network of partners we are able to have clinicians wirelessly monitor each driver’s progress to make sure they are using the machine properly, that the treatment is being effective and to make sure they are happy with their treatment progress. Our staff is pro-active in its approach to compliance calling any drivers that we see are having trouble and helping them through any issues they may be having.

Companies are free to set up their own parameters or rules for PAP therapy usage and compliance as well. Any drivers found not to be compliant with a company’s chosen safety standards will be highlighted to the company to facilitate the administration of an overall company compliance program. We work with your company to ensure all drivers are comfortable and help those drivers that may be having difficulties with treatment.

For independent drivers, we allow for reporting of their compliance data back to their DOT Physician along with the option to share this data with a company of their choosing.

Timing Expectations

Generally the testing and treatment process for drivers should be expected to be around a 24 - 48 hour process, though in a small number of cases, it may take a few extra days to obtain a finalized diagnosis. The vast majority of your drivers will be back up and running with as little inconvenience or distractions as possible. We have worked hard to minimize any downtime required of our program as much as possible to make sure your drivers can get back on the road quickly and safely.