ANTHC’s Sleep Center accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
March 25, 2019
ANTHC’s Sleep Center was recently accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) after a site visit in February. This accreditation reflects a commitment to ensure that sleep disorder patients receive the highest quality of care and serves as an indicator to patients, referring physicians, other providers and insurers that the facility meets optimum quality of care demanded by AASM Accreditation.
“The Sleep Center receiving AASM accreditation enables us to comprehensibly treat sleep disorders and provide the highest quality of care in sleep medicine,” said Michelle Cooper, RN, Sleep Center Manager. “Providing this service helps us advance ANTHC’s vision that Alaska Native people are the healthiest people in the world.”
AASM accreditation is a voluntary process for the assessment of sleep programs. By achieving accreditation, a sleep center demonstrates a commitment to the provision of quality diagnostic services and/or long-term management of sleep patients. In a growing number of states, accreditation is required for reimbursement of many sleep medicine services as insurers recognize that accreditation leads to improvements in patient care.
During the clinic site visit, the AASM surveyor stated, “ANTHC’s Sleep Center telemedicine is cutting-edge technology. The facility is designed extremely well – having a nice place makes a difference.” The surveyor also commented that the Sleep Center’s staffing ratio and security is excellent and was impressed by the policies in place.
The ANTHC Sleep Center opened in early 2018 and provides consultations, home and in-lab sleep studies, evaluation of sleep disorders, patient education, mask fitting, and PAP desensitization. The Sleep Center has two case managers, three assistant case managers, eight sleep technician/technologists and four certified sleep providers. The Sleep Center offers health care services for adult and pediatric patients over two years old. Pediatric patients age two and older require a referral from ANMC’s Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic to be seen in the Sleep Center.
Sleep Center physicians take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating people with sleep disorders. Registered sleep technologists are available day and night to perform sleep studies, diagnostic testing, patient education, mask fitting, PAP desensitization, and assist providers in supporting patients. The Sleep Center also uses telemedicine technology to follow-up with patients after their sleep studies.