SleepWorks Medical Continues to Virtually Help Patients through COVID-19 and Provides Supply of CPAP Machines as Ventilator Alternatives

VANCOUVER, April 15, 2020 /CNW/ - SleepWorks Medical Inc. ("SleepWorks"), a Vancouver-based company that diagnoses and treats sleep disorders, today shares an update on operations through the COVID-19 pandemic.  SleepWorks has implemented a business continuity plan, allowing its staff to continue to safely treat patients who suffer from sleep apnea and related disorders.  Additionally, following the United States Food and Drug Administration's ("FDA") letter to healthcare providers (the "Letter"), SleepWorks is making arrangements to make  Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ("CPAP") and Bilevel or two-level Positive Airway Pressure ("BiPAP") machines available to Canadian healthcare institutions should they be approved for use as alternative ventilators by Canadian authorities.

The Letter, issued by the FDA, encourages American healthcare institutions to consider alternative ventilators, including CPAP and BiPAP machines, should ventilator supply run low during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The FDA's recommendation follows the extensive use of CPAP machines as alternative ventilators in Italy and China.  Should Canadian regulators follow suit, SleepWorks will be ready, willing and able to engage with government and healthcare institutions to support needs.

"We are ready to meet Canadian hospitals' potential demand for additional CPAP machines," said Larry Bloom, CEO of SleepWorks Medical Inc.  "We're still open for business to support those suffering with sleep disorders, which we can do following safe physical distancing protocols.  However, we are also ready to do our part in helping the Canadian healthcare system during this time as we are well-stocked with supply.  We are confident our manufacturers are additionally well-stocked with supplies and don't foresee a shortage of CPAP machines."

SleepWorks has 300 CPAP machines available for deployment within seven days, and an additional 1,500 available within 15 to 30 days.  This is in addition to the 50 CPAP machines sold to one of Vancouver's largest hospitals last week.

SleepWorks has committed to waiving its margin requirements to sell the equipment at the operational cost⁽¹⁾ in order to support the healthcare community during these unprecedented times.

About SleepWorks Medical Inc.

With 20 locations in Lower Mainland British Columbia, SleepWorks Medical Inc. is one of the largest sleep clinic networks in Canada.  SleepWorks is dedicated to providing Canadians with early detection and treatment of fatal sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  Canadians in need of a CPAP, BiPAP, VAUTO, ASV or any form of PAP can call [phone] or email [email protected].  SleepWorks Medical Inc. is a subsidiary of WELL Health Technologies Corp (TSX: WELL).

^(1)	Operational cost of CPAP machines sold by SleepWorks will include a 10-15% mark-up to help pay for overhead costs.

SOURCE SleepWorks Medical Inc.

Lauren Arnold, [email protected], 647-869-1438