May 16 , 2007

SGI provides funding to Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region sleep disorders program

SGI has furthered its commitment to making Saskatchewan roads safer by providing $200,000 annually to the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) for the Sleep Disorders Program at the Regina General Hospital.

The Program serves to diagnose and treat patients with sleep disorders. The most common disorder treated is sleep apnea, which causes excessive daytime sleepiness.

“Sleep apnea is a major cause of drowsy driving, which is a very serious traffic safety concern,” Minister responsible for SGI Glenn Hagel said. “Driving while drowsy is an impairment and can be as serious and as dangerous as driving after drinking. The early diagnosis and treatment of individuals with sleep apnea will ultimately have a positive impact on traffic safety.”

Physicians are required to report any medical condition that may affect a person’s ability to drive to SGI’s Medical Review Unit (MRU), including suspected cases of sleep apnea. In many instances, the physician indicates they have referred the patient to the RQHR’s Sleep Disorders Program for assessment. The MRU then requests further reports from the centre to determine whether the person is able to drive safely.

“We appreciate the continued support from SGI for the Sleep Disorders Program,” Medical Director of the Regina Sleep Disorders Program Dr. Guruswamy Sridhar said. “This funding will allow the Health Region to treat even more people with sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea.”

The funding will allow the Health Region to perform an additional 24 to 32 assessments each month.

For further information, contact:

Chris Clemett
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
Regina
Phone: 306-775-6675
Email: cclemett@sgi.sk.ca
Cell: 306-530-2348

Mark Torjusen
Consultant
Public Affairs
Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region
Phone: (306) 766-5332

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