AUGUST 2001 PRESS RELEASE
Sleep Testing Market Report from Feedback Research Tracks Service Trends in 2001
August 28, 2001 (Jacksonville OR): Sleep. We tend to take it for granted. In the United States, the result is millions of dollars of direct and indirect costs that might be avoided. Hospitalization for obstructive sleep apnea accounts for approximately $42.0 million annually, and 550 sleep-related highway accidents occur each day. Although awareness of the problem is increasing, the 2001 Sleep In America poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF; Washington DC) found that 63% of American adults are not be getting the recommended eight hours of sleep each day.
For many, the cause can be sleep apnea, a condition that is as common as asthma but more difficult to diagnose because the person needs to recognize the signs and initiate follow-up with a physician. In 1998, the primary diagnostic tool was an all-night sleep study using full channel polysomnography, a technology that helped identify and treat an estimated 100,000 new patients during the year.
In 2001, sleep centers and laboratories continue to benefit financially from referrals that fill the appointment books for months in advance. Not surprisingly, the number of accredited sleep testing facilities has increased substantially, rising an estimated 31% from 1999 levels. Alternative testing options are emerging, however, that may slow this rate down. The most convenient is at-home sleep testing, a service that is currently being offered by two companies, SleepQuest Inc. (Redwood City CA) and Sleep Solutions Inc. (Palo Alto CA).
The detailed analysis in the new Sleep Screening & Testing Markets report from Feedback Research Services includes revenue and growth rates forecasts for 2001 through 2004. Text and tables document current issues, facility operations, and trends in the United States and worldwide, with a special focus on the potential market for at-home sleep testing. For more information about this report, contact us at 541-899-8088 or info@feed-back.com.
