July 31, 2006
On Friday, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) announced on its Web site that the Sleep Center at St. Lukes Medical Center Kirby Glen in Houston, Tex, has just become its 1,000th accredited facility.
The AASM called the event a milestone for the organization. To be accredited by the AASM, a facility must demonstrate that it has meet all of the Academy’s standards, such as employing skilled and qualified staff, creating a clean and comfortable environment, developing a quality assurance plan, and adhering to evidence-based practice parameters.
Sleep specialists working with the AASM developed its standards for accreditation, which means the requirements are tailored for the unique evaluation of sleep disorders patients. According to the AASM’s Web site, facilities seeking accreditation must purchase an application package, complete it, and return it to the national office. The AASM’s accreditation committee then reviews the application. If the application shows that the facility appears to be compliant with the AASM’s accreditation standards, the accreditation committee then schedules an inspection by a trained site visitor who interviews staff and consulting physicians, and also reviews policies, charts, and recordings.
In some states, third-party payors will not reimburse for sleep studies that are not conducted at an AASM-accredited facility. For more information about the AASM’s accreditation program, visit
www.aasmnet.org/ProgramOver.aspx.
