Dr. Neil Freedman and Pulmonary Sleep Disorders Specialist Shawna Sullivan are part of NorthShore’s expanding Sleep Center program.

NorthShore Expertise Helps Patients Breathe Easy

Tom Wells, a retired engineer from Crystal Lake, enjoys salmon fishing on Lake Michigan, tinkering with his Model T Ford—and getting a good night’s sleep.

Until this year, Wells never had trouble sleeping. More recently, however, he would go for as many as three sleepless nights in a row.

Wells was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. He began therapy with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, but his condition did not improve. His NorthShore cardiologist, Jay Alexander, MD, suggested he undergo a sleep evaluation with Neil Freedman, MD, and his team of specialists at NorthShore’s expanded Sleep Center in Lake County.

“Mr. Wells spent a night at the sleep lab or a sleep study, which indicated two types of sleep apnea,” said Dr. Freedman, Medical Director of the NorthShore Sleep Center in Bannockburn. “We sent him home with a new technology called the Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV) bilevel device.”

“This device monitors breathing and provides support when sleep-disordered breathing occurs,” said Shawna Sullivan, CNP, APN, a pulmonary sleep disorders specialist. “It also enables us to track a patient’ progress in real time via online monitoring.”

Now Wells sleeps through the night and is grateful for the care he received.

“NorthShore is exceptional because they have the art of listening and understanding—and at the same time are determined in finding a treatment that works,” said Wells. “They know what they’re doing.”

According to Dr. Freedman, who also heads pulmonary sleep research, the need for sleep disorders care has increased due to an aging population with more overweight people. “That’s why NorthShore took the lead in expanding these services across our area—because sleep disorders can lead to serious issues, including heart attack, stroke and even death.”

“I never thought sleep was that important of a problem to me,” said Wells, “but it may have been more important than I realized.”