Sleep Solutions, Inc. Re-incorporates as NovaSom, Inc.

GLEN BURNIE, Md., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Sleep Solutions, the pioneer and largest national service provider of home sleep tests for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), has changed its name to NovaSom, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

The company changed its name to better reflect its history and commitment to providing the most accurate and cost effective home tests on the market for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), said Dr. Richard Hassett, the chief executive officer of NovaSom.

"In recent years, we have built the NovaSom® brand into a recognized leader in the full-service model for home sleep testing," Hassett said. "That spirit of innovation will remain constant as we pursue new ways to improve the care, health and quality of life of people affected by sleep disorders."

An estimated 18 to 20 million Americans have symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, however 85% remain undiagnosed.  Left undetected and untreated, OSA can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, resulting in mushrooming medical costs.  OSA aggravates other medical conditions like diabetes, congestive heart failure, and depression.  The associated sleep deprivation has been shown to cause impaired productivity, absenteeism, motor vehicle crashes, and diminished quality of life. There is growing evidence from large epidemiological studies that untreated OSA significantly increases mortality risk.  

If OSA is diagnosed, it can be easily and successfully treated.  Historically, expensive and uncomfortable laboratory testing has been a barrier to diagnosis for many patients.  Now the NovaSom Home Sleep Test provides affordable testing in the privacy and comfort of the person's natural sleep environment, making it easier for people at risk of OSA to be tested.  NovaSom provides sequential night testing which overcomes the single night "snapshot" of traditional test methods, for a more accurate picture of sleep disordered breathing patterns.

"We provide the resources that primary care physicians need to identify people at risk for OSA and determine appropriate candidates for both in-home and laboratory tests," said Dr. Hassett.  "We have a field-based medical education force and have made significant investments in CME and non-CME educational programs aimed at primary care."

"NovaSom has a large client care team and offers live clinical/technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to patients undergoing the home sleep test," said Roger Richardson, Vice President of Operations.  "We try to make testing as easy as possible, and are committed to raising consumer awareness of OSA through www.apnea.com."

The company continues to actively partner with insurance companies to ensure widespread access to NovaSom diagnostic services.  Medicare and most major payers cover the test.

Founded in Palo Alto in 1992 to develop patented technology for attenuation of snoring, Sleep Solutions pioneered efforts in home sleep testing, beginning in 1998 under the guidance of Thomas Fogarty, noted cardiovascular surgeon and medical device inventor.  The company commercialized the innovative diagnostic system technology and a patented acoustic airflow sensor in 2002, to deliver a more convenient, self-administered sleep test directly to consumers' homes.  In recent years, more than 60,000 patients have been tested with the NovaSom diagnostic system.

About NovaSom, Inc.

NovaSom, Inc. is a privately held diagnostic-service provider for home testing and evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing, which includes the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Based in Glen Burnie, Maryland, the company was incorporated in 1992. NovaSom is a Medicare-approved Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (IDTF) and is fully accredited as an Ambulatory Care Sleep Diagnostic Center by The Joint Commission. The home testing system manufactured and distributed by NovaSom has FDA clearance for the diagnostic evaluation of OSA in adults.

SOURCE NovaSom, Inc.