Recognizing the importance of professional collaboration, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) board of directors regularly evaluates opportunities to partner with other organizations to advance our mission to improve sleep health and promote high quality patient centered care. Today I am pleased to provide you with details about three collaborative initiatives addressing the role of sleep and sleep disease in death, aging and obesity.
First, I encourage all AASM members to learn more about the process of submitting a case report for the Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Death and Near Miss Registry, which was established through a partnership between the Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine (SASM) and the Anesthesia Closed Claims Project. The registry is collecting valuable information about the complex factors involved in the perioperative and postoperative management of OSA patients.
It is my hope that this registry will yield vital clinical insights that lead to improved patient safety and better care for patients undergoing anesthesia. But the success of the registry is dependent on the submission of a large quantity of case reports. So I urge you to notify colleagues about this important resource, and I encourage you to visit the registry website to learn how you can submit a case.
Second, the AASM is providing conference grant support for “Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Aging: New Avenues for Improving Brain Health, Physical Health and Functioning,” the second in a series of a three-part U13 Bedside to Bench Conference sponsored by the American Geriatrics Society and the National Institute on Aging. This critical conference has a translational focus on improving future research, clinical prevention and management of sleep problems in older adults. Faculty and research fellows are encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and apply to attend the conference by the June 1 deadline.
Finally, the AASM is partnering with the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) to organize a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., on May 20. The briefing, Sleep and Obesity: A Public Health Epidemic, will discuss the link between obesity and sleep diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Presentations also will describe the public health and economic benefits of including sleep medicine care as part of a coordinated strategy to manage obesity. I look forward to this opportunity to speak to Federal legislators and their staff about the value of sleep medicine.
Feel free to share your thoughts and comments about these initiatives by sending an email to me at tmorgenthaler@aasm.org.
Let us continue to pursue strategic collaborations to improve sleep health.
Sincerely,
Timothy Morgenthaler, MD
President
