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ABOUT
US
Accreditation
The
Center for Respiratory and Sleep Disorders has received
program accreditation from the American
Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The AASM
is a professional organization dedicated to assuring
quality care for patients with sleep disorders, promoting
the advancement of sleep research, and providing public
and professional education. An accredited sleep disorders
program is a significant resource to the local medical
community and public. Accreditation by the AASM assures
quality patient care through comprehensive clinical
evaluation and treatment.
AASM
accreditation is the gold standard by which other organizations
and companies evaluate sleep programs. This is reflected
by the fact that in many states insurance companies
require sleep studies to be conducted only at an AASM
accredited facility.
To
receive a five-year accreditation, a sleep center must
meet or exceed all standards for professional quality
health as designated by the Academy. This process involves
a detailed inspection of a center's facility and staff
including employing skilled and qualified staff, creating
and maintaining a clean and comfortable environment,
developing and maintaining a quality assurance plan,
and adhering to evidence-based practice parameters.
Additionally, the facility's goals must be clearly stated
and include plans for positively affecting the quality
of medical care in the community it serves.
What
About Other Sleep Laboratories?
Any
physician can open and own a sleep lab, whether or not
they have training in sleep medicine and without certification
by an accrediting body. Some physicians who claim to
be sleep specialists may have no formal fellowship training
in sleep medicine, or training which occurred during
a short several day course. While some non- accredited
laboratories provided excellent service, we believe
that patients should ask the following questions before
using any sleep facility for their medical care:
• "Is the laboratory accredited by the AASM?
If not, why not?
•
"Will my sleep evaluation be coordinated by a board
certified sleep physician? If not, why not?
•
"Will I be seen by a physician who has formal fellowship
training in sleep medicine? If not, why not?
•
"How many years of formal sleep medicine specialty
practice do the physicians in your facility have?
•
"Will the physician who interprets my sleep study
actually review the complete study?
•
"Has the physician who will interpret my sleep
study ever received formal sleep training during a fellowship
program?
A
list of accredited sleep centers and board certified
sleep physicians is available on the American Academy
of Sleep Medicine web site: www.aasmnet.org.
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