VGM ‘optimizes’ sleep journey with SleepGlad

WATERLOO, Iowa – VGM Group’s acquisition of mask-fitting platform SleepGlad rounds out the company’s respiratory offering and better aligns it with a “massive shift” in patient care, as well as addresses a major pain point for providers, says Boone Lockard.  

VGM already offers fulfillment and logistics services for CPAP machines and supplies through VGM Fulfillment, as well as virtual onboarding, patient setup, compliance and post-compliance monitoring through the Sleep Services program at VGM & Associates. 

“Prior to this acquisition, we could set the pressure on a CPAP and put the device and a mask in a box for delivery, virtually set it up and provide instructions, and monitor and follow up for compliance,” said Boone Lockard, CRT, vice president of clinical services for VGM & Associates. “But we couldn’t identify the mask that needed to be put in the box. So, SleepGlad really rounds out what we have mapped out as the sleep journey today.” 

VGM bought SleepGlad, which can be used for more than 60 masks from 11 different manufacturers, from Baxter Technologies. As part of the deal, Tim Bethany, vice president, Jose Valentin, business development manager, Hatem Alamir, vice president of engineering, and Emin Muratoglu, full stack developer, have joined Lockard’s team. 

With SleepGlad, providers can harness secure technology to conduct mask fittings completely virtually or, if they’re not comfortable with that, use it prior to or during in-person fittings to increase efficiency and accuracy and decrease their costs, Lockard says. 

“SleepGlad reduces the number of mask refits that providers have to take on,” he said. “Each time a provider refits a patient, it cuts into their patient’s time to clinical success and the provider’s economic success. Where we are now with SleepGlad’s advanced technology, refit rates can be reduced to 5% or less when the industry average is 22% to 25%.” 

Incorporating more virtual elements to the “sleep journey” puts providers in line with other areas of health care, which are leaning on technology to compensate for staffing shortages and to prioritize certain patients, Lockard says. 

“We’re seeing a massive shift to virtual,” he said. “In respiratory, it frees up clinicians to focus on higher-acuity patients, like ventilator patients.” 

That’s the whole goal of SleepGlad, which was originally developed by a board-certified sleep physician to address challenges he faced in his own sleep lab, Bethany says – “to design a platform that complements and enhances workflow.” 

“Time is great currency,” he said. “Increasing process optimization from a clinical, economic and compliance (perspective), SleepGlad makes a great partner.”