Sleepcare Diagnostics was founded by Dixie Snider in 1985.

Today, Sleepcare Diagnostics is one of the largest and most elaborate sleep diagnostic and testing facilities under one roof in the United States. The concept of testing and treatment that the company offers is unique to sleep disorder laboratories. Most importantly, the philosophy that guided the company in its early years still remains the backbone of the company today: to take the fear out of being tested and treated for a sleep disorder and to offer the exceptional accommodations and service our patients deserve.

Laying the Foundation

Dixie’s introduction to the field of sleep studies took place in the early 1980s when she helped her husband, Jim Snider, start a hospital supply company in Cincinnati called CP Medical Cincinnati. During this time, the company was asked to supply sleep labs in the area with equipment necessary to perform sleep studies. Dixie became very interested in the field; she learned how sleep laboratories operated and became knowledgeable about the equipment and the protocol for running a sleep lab. After two years researching sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment approaches, she left CP Medical Cincinnati in 1985 to establish Sleepcare Inc. (The name changed to Sleepcare Diagnostics in 1990.)

The Early Years

A number of psychiatrists and pulmonologists were of great help to Dixie as she developed her vision. Robert Mendenhall, a local attorney and financier, provided needed financial backing and other critical support for the endeavor. Dixie started her venture by offering a simple, in-home, overnight screening test for local insurance companies. Her charge was to determine whether an individual had symptoms of sleep apnea that warranted being tested in a sleep disorders lab. Other services included infant monitoring for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and the supply of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) to patients referred to Sleepcare by a local sleep lab.

While working with patients in need of the NCPAP sleep system, Dixie learned about the dissatisfaction with their experiences at the sleep lab. The cold, clinical atmosphere and impersonal treatment patients received at the time made a lasting impression on Dixie. She decided to discontinue the SIDS program and concentrate on the development of the adult sleep apnea market.

A pioneer in sleep disorders diagnosis and treatment, Dixie severed her ties with sleep labs and worked diligently, with the help of her husband, to identify experts with whom they could work to develop their own sleep testing system. She then approached Shahrokh Javaheri, M.D., an internationally recognized expert for his contributions to the field of sleep research. Dr. Javaheri is a board-certified physician in Pulmonology, Internal Medicine and Sleep Disorders; a Professor Emeritus at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; former head of the sleep research department at the VA Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Medical Director of Sleepcare Diagnostics today.

Dr. Javaheri personally evaluated their system and determined it was effective for diagnosing patients with sleep apnea. He agreed to join Sleepcare as the consulting physician and interpreter of sleep studies with assurance from Dixie and Jim that they were committed to working toward acquiring full polysomnography (considered the "gold standard" and most reliable diagnostic method to confirm a sleep-related breathing disorder). They opened a one-bed facility in West Chester, Ohio, in 1990 while continuing to home test and provide NCPAP services.

It was a difficult beginning, as the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders was still in its pioneer stage. After all, sleep apnea was first diagnosed in 1965 and NCPAP therapy was first applied to sleep apnea in 1981. As a result, much time was spent supplying physicians and insurance companies with research on sleep apnea and NCPAP.

In 1992 Sleepcare became the first sleep laboratory in the country with the ability to both diagnose and treat apnea patients. Services included a proactive and intensive follow-up program that monitored patients’ progress with NCPAP therapy long-term at no cost to the patient or the insurance provider. Today, approximately 90 percent of Sleepcare patients remain compliant with treatment long-term. (The national average is 60 percent).

Becoming an Industry Leader

In 1995, the company moved to a five-bed facility in Mason, Ohio, which grew to eight beds by 2001. The company’s booming growth led to the opening of a new, luxurious, 15-bed facility in Mason in 2003.

In 2004, the Mason facility expanded to include 19 beds, and a new Eastgate facility was opened as a joint venture with a local physician practice. Rapid growth continued with the opening of a new White Oak facility in 2005, following by the opening in 2006 of the company’s first facility in Sarasota, Florida.

As the company has grown, so has its number of physicians. Sanjiv Patel, M.D., joined in 2004, and is Medical Director of the Eastgate and White Oak facilities. He is board certified in Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Internal Medicine.

Steven Scheer, M.D., joined the company as Medical Director of the Sarasota, Florida,

facility in 2006. He is board certified in Sleep Medicine.

Also providing care for patients is Stephen Billman, Psy.D., a psychologist board certified in Clinical Sleep Disorders,  Dr. Billman works at the Eastgate facility.

Despite phenomenal company growth, Dixie never forgot the unhappy patients who said they would never go through the experience of being tested in a sleep lab again. Her goal has always been to make a visit to Sleepcare Diagnostics a pleasant experience. A staff of professionals who are trained in providing exceptional patient care welcomes patients with all types of sleep disorders.

Dixie has proven to the physician community that continuity of care and attention to the special needs of their patients is her company’s primary concern. Sleepcare’s integrated service model – which includes diagnosis, treatment and the provision of therapeutic devices – helps patients receive the multifaceted care they need. Physicians agree, referring more patients to Sleepcare Diagnostics than any other sleep lab in Greater Cincinnati.

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