When he heard snoring complaints, most insurance companies in Indonesia or directly consider this a cosmetic factor, until he considered essential to the health and productivity. Only annoying sounds. But the reality is not so. Snoring is a major symptom of sleep disorders called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
An article from Bruce Sherman, MD on the editorial of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine provides perspective on costs, savings and benefits of the company to finance its employees to undergo examination and treatment of OSA. Although most people in Indonesia to be self-financing health care, physicians view Bruce appropriate scrutiny considering the benefits and savings that can be achieved with treatment of snoring.
Obstructive sleep apnea
OSA has been known by many people suffered. From various studies were found, about 3 percent to 20 percent of the adult population in the U.S. suffer from this sleeping sickness. Unfortunately, 80 to 85 percent are not properly diagnosed, let alone treated. As a result, the number of people with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, traffic accidents and work, as well as sudden death is increasing. Something that is worth considering for our conditions in Indonesia.
OSA occurs due to narrowing of the airway during sleep, so no air can pass. Snorer silent, with the chest and abdomen up and down trying to breathe, but it was as choking, air can not flow into or out of. Shortness! Furthermore, the security system will wake the body up to the brain while the snorer to breathe again. When it suddenly seemed choked snorer or loud noises.
Sleep quality people who snore always bad. The term hypersomnia, excessive sleepiness despite adequate sleep. From the standpoint of the company, employees who snore seem as personally easily tired, sleepy, sloppy and slow. Sleepy OSA patients continue to need caffeine and nicotine to maintain concentration. Unfortunately all these stimulants only delayed sleep without refreshing the brain back. Meaning? Its poor productivity.
Safety is threatened. Starting from a poor driving skills to keep up fitness monitor or operate heavy equipment. OSA sufferers also often experience traffic accidents.
For the health of OSA associated with various chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity. Which is not all of them cost a little for a long time.
Cost savings
2010 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine showed that treatment of OSA with companies actually make savings. Researchers followed the truck drivers insurance claims. A total of 156 drivers with OSA were treated with CPAP, while 92 driver diagnosed with OSA but refused treatment. The results can be saved the cost of health care up to 41 percent on the driver with OSA who were treated.
Previous studies in the journal CHEST in 2002 examined the medical records of 773 patients who had been diagnosed with snoring sleep apnea and compared with subjects who did not snore. They also looked at before diagnosis of OSA, the patient is suffering from any illness. The results show that patients with OSA using more medical services than those who did not snore. Prior to being diagnosed with OSA, many patients apparently went to the doctor because of the heart-vascular disease, especially hypertension.
And insurance companies naturally seek economical ways for health care for employees. No wonder the U.S. companies currently promoting prevention than treatment. Care snoring, OSA, including the prevention of chronic diseases.
Cost of diagnosis and treatment of OSA is a huge burden to be borne by the insurer or the company. Starting from the examination bed, to treatment with CPAP or surgery cost is not small. However, the cost proved to be a saving in the future.
Affiliated companies in the United States are increasingly aware of the health of sleep. Health expenditure for employees to put even more advanced treatment of OSA as one of the top priorities.
Treatment of OSA increases the productivity, safety and health.