Interstate Health bolsters advisory board with high-profile additions

Brentwood, Tennessee-based Interstate Health has announced the addition of three prominent leaders to its advisory board.

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, along with Joe DeSantis and Nicholas S. Zeppos, join the board as the company seeks to expand its health care model across America’s highways, Interstate Health said on Wednesday.

The company, launched in November 2022, focuses on serving commercial drivers and rural communities and aims to address critical health care needs. It is estimated that 46 million Americans live in medically underserved areas. With a nationwide network of clinics offering primary care, urgent care and occupational health services, Interstate Health is working to improve health outcomes for the estimated 3.5 million truck drivers who keep America’s economy moving.

Gingrich, currently chairman of Gingrich 360, a multimedia production and consulting company based in Arlington, Virginia, is also a Fox News contributor, podcast host, syndicated columnist and author. He was speaker from 1995 until 1999 and a Republican candidate for president in 2012.

DeSantis, chief strategy officer for Gingrich 360, also leads the consulting division, with clients in health care, aviation and education. DeSantis serves as Gingrich’s primary liaison with campaigns and lawmakers.

Zeppos, who served as chancellor and CEO of Vanderbilt University, provides expertise in biomedical research, innovation and technology. His tenure at Vanderbilt also included significant contributions to drug development, health care and media rights.

“Our mission to improve health outcomes for the people who work and live along America’s highways requires both a deep understanding of healthcare and a willingness to disrupt the delivery system and remove barriers in order to improve access,” said CEO Jeff Seraphine. “Our advisory board is instrumental to our success, and the expertise Speaker Gingrich, Joe and Nicholas bring to our organization is going to help us scale our business and reach more commercial drivers and rural communities.”

The addition of these high-profile advisers underscores the growing need for accessible health care among America’s truckers. According to recent statistics, the average life expectancy for truck drivers is just 61 years, significantly lower than the national average of 77.5 years.

“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],” Seraphine noted in an interview with FreightWaves. “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.”

Interstate Health’s innovative approach includes strategically located clinics near major trucking routes and travel centers. One such facility recently opened near a Pilot Travel Center on Interstate 40 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The clinic provides urgent care, primary care and occupational health services for locals, interstate travelers and commercial drivers.

Kennedy Shull, a physician’s assistant at the Knoxville clinic and daughter of a truck driver, told local NBC affiliate WBIR, “The statistics for truck drivers are pretty rough. They have a lower life expectancy, and they’re more likely to have comorbidities such as hypertension, heart disease and obesity. I’ve always said I’m not gonna let my dad be a part of that statistic. It means a lot to me to be able to make sure that these guys are staying healthy.”

The company’s expansion plans aim to open more than 300 locations within six years. This growth strategy is supported by a group of investors, many of whom are current or former executives in the trucking, transit, logistics and technology sectors.

Interstate Health’s model goes beyond traditional roadside clinics. The company is developing a comprehensive health care ecosystem that includes telemedicine services and a network of pharmacies. By integrating with fleet technologies, Interstate Health aims to make it easy for drivers to locate facilities along their routes with available parking and open appointments.

“That truck driver is so important to the lifeline of this country. Without that truck driver, we don’t eat, we don’t drink. Anything in your life that you don’t think about has probably been delivered on the back of one of those semis,” Tim Campbell, Interstate Health’s business development officer, told WBIR. “We’re happy to provide these services so truck drivers don’t have to suffer until they make it back home.”

As Interstate Health expands its network of clinics and services, it continues to focus on improving health outcomes for truck drivers and the communities they serve.

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