July 11, 2008, Newsletter Issue #179: How Sleep Centers Are Organized and Accredited

Tip of the Week

A sleep center or sleep clinic can help detect and treat any sleep disorder that may trouble you. A sleep center may be organized in the following three ways:

- hospital based
- university based
- privately owned or "freestanding"

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) sets strict rules for centers to follow and accredits two types of medical facilities:

1. Sleep disorders centers: a center must provide testing and treatment for all of the sleep disorders.

2. Laboratories for sleep-related breathing disorders: their focus is on sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea. For other sleep disorders, you may be referred to a sleep disorders center.

Standards that the facilities have to meet in order to receive accreditation from the AASM include:

- Their medical director must be a physician who has been licensed by the state.
- A sleep specialist on staff who has been certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine.
- Their testing rooms must provide for the privacy, comfort and security of patients.
- All staff must continue to take classes on an annual basis.
- All fees and billing must comply with both federal and state regulations.
- They have to adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations for the operation of a medical practice.
- They also must follow the American Medical Association's "Code of Medical Ethics."

The Accreditation Committee is made up of the National Chair and nine other sleep specialists from across the U.S. A site visit must prove to the Committee and the AASM Board of Directors that a facility meets all of the standards. If this is the case, then full accreditation is granted for five years.

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