Somnia Announces New Accreditation and Consulting Division to Ensure Safety in 
Office Based Surgical Facilities and Reduce the Financial Burden on Healthcare

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Somnia, Inc., a national provider of outpatient surgery services, today announced the creation of its Accreditation and Consulting Division. This new division will assist surgeons and health insurance companies in cost containment strategies and in the promotion and development of office-based surgical facilities. As the trend of office based surgery grows across the country, this division will also supplement the efforts of Somnia's nationally recognized anesthesia and pain management services.

"This year, it is estimated that nearly 10 million procedures will be performed in the office environment," said Somnia President and Chief Executive Officer Marc E. Koch, MD, MBA. "Our goal is to help physicians establish a safe and effective operating environment and work with insurance companies on ways this model can help reduce the significant costs associated with traditional healthcare."

The mission of the Accreditation and Consulting division will be to formally facilitate the safe migration of surgery from more traditional venues to office-based surgical facilities. This effort will serve to reduce the number of hospital-based operating room facility claims and in doing so unburden the healthcare system. Somnia will help health insurance companies develop and administrate innovative programs that create cost effective alternatives to hospital-based surgery. These programs similarly provide for performance-based incentives to surgeons who most prudently select the most cost-effective venue for their surgeries. Somnia also will assist surgeons with the operational details of the process to ensure compliance with state regulations and accreditation standards. According to an independent market study conducted by SMG Marketing and Verispan, 20% of all surgery took place in an office based surgical facility, rather than a hospital or surgery center in 2004.

About Somnia:

Somnia works to advance outpatient surgery by assisting surgeons and payers achieve their goals of safe, secure and cost-effective operating room environments. The three Somnia Divisions that collectively work to execute this plan include Accreditation and Consulting; Anesthesia Services, and Pain Management Services. The overall volume of office based surgeries has increased dramatically in recent years, growing from 20 million to 40 million cases from 1981 to 1999. In 2004, it is estimated that 20% of all surgeries took place in office based surgical facilities.

SOURCE Somnia, Inc.