This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ Enterprise Fleet Summit on Wednesday.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Driver health and how to make health care more accessible for truck drivers.
DETAILS: Access to health care has always been a challenge for truck drivers, who often skip critical medical appointments in order to move this country’s freight. Jeff Seraphine, CEO of Brentwood, Tennessee-based Interstate Health Systems, discusses some of the challenges drivers face and explores potential solutions to address their health care needs.
KEY QUOTES FROM JEFF SERAPHINE:
“When you look at the comorbid conditions that our general population has, you are going to find them at a much higher incident rate [among the driver population], starting with things like obesity. With higher rates of obesity, you’re going to have higher rates of other things that follow with obesity, like diabetes, heart problems and sleep apnea problems. It’s just a less healthy population.”
“Our task is how do we help them? … We see access as probably one of the greatest obstacles to improving health.”
“The question is can we create access to health care in areas that really work? And understanding the economics of creating those access points. Because we think technology is going to be really important. We think the industry is coming around to increasing awareness, wellness initiatives and food selections. All of those things are going to be really important.”
Stephen Webster
All companies including those with drivers from Canada 🇨🇦 and 🇲🇽 should have to show proof of medical coverage to come on to the U S soil. Any trucking company in the U S with 6 or more trucks or employees should to provide medical care and housing if the driver is sick or injured. I see too many sick injured truck drivers in the new york city homeless shelter and at the taxpayers expense