September 11, 2006 02:19 PM Eastern Time

Sleep HealthCenters Announces New Sleep Medicine Center Opens in Framingham; Center Will Serve MetroWest Patients with Comprehensive Diagnostic and Treatment Services

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2006--Sleep HealthCenters^®, a network of specialized sleep medicine centers and the largest provider of such services in Massachusetts, has announced the opening of its eleventh sleep medicine center in the state, located in Framingham. The new Sleep HealthCenter provides services to diagnose and treat such sleep-related problems as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome - problems that affect an estimated 40 million Americans. The center is located at 125 Newbury Street, Framingham.

Dr. Sandra Horowitz, who is joining the Framingham Sleep HealthCenter as Medical Director, is board certified in Sleep Medicine and Neurology. She comments, "Most people don't realize that having a sleep problem not only affects the quality of their life, but can also jeopardize their health. Sleep deprivation has been associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes, and can contribute to obesity, diabetes and other health problems. We are pleased to offer complete sleep medicine services that are all contained within one highly specialized facility. People in the MetroWest area that suspect they may have a sleep problem can now turn to one place for their clinical evaluation, testing and treatment. Community education about sleep is also a priority of this new center."

In addition to medical consultations and sleep studies, the Framingham Sleep HealthCenter also provides patients with treatment options, such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) devices, as well as education and follow-up care. Contact with a patient's own referring physician is maintained throughout the process, and services are covered by most insurance plans. Parking is available on site.

The Framingham Sleep HealthCenter features individual consultation rooms and eight bedrooms where sleep studies are conducted - each of which is designed with the comfort and privacy of a hotel room and has a private bathroom, full-size bed, and a TV. A continental breakfast is served in the morning to those who have had a sleep study the previous night.

Sleep HealthCenters' Medical Director, Dr. Lawrence J. Epstein said, "Sleep HealthCenters continues to expand to communities throughout eastern Massachusetts in an effort to serve the large number of people with untreated sleep disorders who can benefit from our services. Sleep disorders don't just affect one group or segment of our population - they span generations, genders and geography. Our goal is to provide convenient access to sleep medicine services to all those who need them. As we add more centers in local communities like Framingham, we come closer to achieving this goal."

Paul S. Valentine, Sleep HealthCenters' President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Sleep HealthCenters leads the sleep medicine industry in Massachusetts through the quality of our services, the people who provide those services, the affiliations we have forged with highly respected medical establishments, and the accessibility of our facilities. We are committed to meeting the needs of patients in the communities we serve through the opening of additional centers."

Sleep HealthCenters is affiliated with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Faulkner Hospital, Hallmark Health, McLean Hospital, New England Sinai Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, Chadwick Medical Associates, and UMass Memorial Medical Group. To inquire about services at the new Framingham Sleep HealthCenter, or at any of the other centers located throughout Massachusetts, call 877-SLEEPHC (877-753-3742). To learn more about Sleep HealthCenters, visit www.sleephealth.com.

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Contacts

Shock PR, Inc.
Christine Shock, 508-893-9933

cshock@shockpr.com
or
Sleep HealthCenters LLC

Jennifer Feldman, 781-340-3336 x117
jennifer_feldman@sleephealth.com