SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - ColoradoDesk -- This past weekend, a cross-section of sleep industry experts met with a common, universal commitment: to bring more patients into more successful OSA treatment, regardless of therapy. As a preview of that "North Star" approach, SomnoMed hosted SomSUMMIT '21 to cultivate and foster industry collaborations that will produce the research, education, awareness of, and pathways to Oral Appliance Therapy as a primary solution to successful OSA Treatment.

"Our vision and mission is very patient-centric. We really care about an effective, long-term treatment for your patients," SomnoMed Global CEO Neil Verdal-Austin remarked virtually at the summit. "We're here [at SomSUMMIT 2021] to talk about building this collaborative ecosystem of treatment so that, together, we treat more patients more successfully. We're looking at a long-term chronic disease, so why aren't we looking at a long-term quality treatment?"

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According to a recent global patient survey conducted by Philips, 25% - 30% of individuals potentially suffering from OSA are afraid of taking a sleep test, believing that the treatment is worse than the condition itself - or would simply refuse to use a CPAP machine.

"There is a real need for us to firm up the field and, in particular, to look at other treatments that may be better adhered to than CPAP," David M. Rapoport, MD stated virtually at the summit.

SomSUMMIT '21 showcased collaborations between physicians, dentists, and DME companies using a patient-centric approach to enable and foster successful OSA treatment, regardless of therapy. "The gold standard is unique to each patient," reflects Kathy Wilson, MD, a sleep medicine physician. "We must find ways to work across professions and specialties to get each patient the right therapy, regardless of their point of care."

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"SomSUMMIT '21 is only the beginning," effuses Matt Conlon, SomnoMed EVP. "We're looking forward to building upon the enthusiastic determination generated here to achieve the 'North Star' objective. At SomSUMMIT '22, we'll be showcasing exceptional demonstrations of collaborations that put Oral Appliance Therapy in its appropriate, central position within the OSA treatment ecosystem."

To learn more about SomnoMed, click here.

About SomnoMed: SomnoMed is the world's largest provider of oral sleep apnea devices, operating in 28 countries. Since 2004, SomnoMed has helped more than 615,000 patients have a comfortable night's sleep by effectively treating their OSA.