Contact: Sara Quale
sara.quale@bannerhealth.com
(970) 810-6133
WORLAND, Wyo. (Oct. 30, 2019) – With experts estimating 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, Banner Health hopes to educate more people about the condition and how it can be managed.
The American Sleep Apnea Association also says 80 percent of moderate and severe cases of sleep apnea go undiagnosed. This month Banner Health pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialists David Kukafka, MD, and Siavash Panah, MD, will lead talks for community members and health care providers on sleep apnea and other sleep-related topics.
“Sleep is a topic that touches everyone,” Dr. Kukafka said. “Many people don’t recognize the connection between good sleep and good health, however. We want to illustrate that connection. Sometimes people might have a health concern and not even realize it’s caused by poor sleep.”
Drs. Kukafka and Panah also will explain how sleep problems can be diagnosed and treated, and the vast benefits people experience when sleep is improved. They are working closely with Worland physician assistant Joe Tritchler, PA, who is trained to conduct sleep studies and evaluate patients for treatment options including fitting for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.
The talk for community members is 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Washakie Medical Center, 400 S. 15th St., Worland. The physicians, who practice with Banner Health Clinic specializing in pulmonology and sleep medicine in Northern Colorado, also will offer and educational session for other physicians in the Big Horn Basin. Banner Health has organized the program in conjunction with expanding its comprehensive sleep medicine care to the Big Horn Basin.
The Nov. 19 program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. No registration is necessary.
To learn more about the program and Banner Health sleep medicine services in Worland, call (307) 347-2555.