Board review course registration now open
In 2011, only 64 percent of the individuals who took the sleep medicine exam passed. As the leader in sleep medicine education, the AASM has the essential Sleep Medicine Board Review materials and courses to prepare you for success!
AASM Spring Course almost sold-out
Only one week left to save on this one-and-a-half-day course - and it’s almost sold out! Physicians and their support staff will learn the clinical and practical guidelines associated with providing durable medical equipment (DME) to patients.
Have you visited the SLEEP 2013 Baltimore page?
This year’s home to SLEEP 2013 is the Baltimore Convention Center. Located in the Inner Harbor neighborhood, the Baltimore Convention Center is only steps away from a variety of fine dining, cultural experiences, shopping, historical landmarks and exciting nightlife. While you are in town for SLEEP 2013, we encourage you to visit the many attractions that Baltimore has to offer.
Start a conversation in the online membership section discussion forums
AASM members can discuss the latest findings and developments in sleep medicine and sleep research in the online discussion forums on the AASM website. Each of the eight membership sections has its own discussion forum, and an additional General Discussion forum provides a venue for interaction on broad topics of interest.
Study shows the value of sleep specialists in promoting CPAP adherence
A new study reports that a consultation with a board certified sleep medicine physician prior to undergoing a diagnostic PSG is predictive of increased 30-day CPAP use. The study appears in the March 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
Editorial explores impact of employer health benefits purchasing on sleep medicine
“Employer purchasing of health benefits is undergoing a transformation,” writes Bruce Sherman, MD, in “Obstructive sleep apnea and health benefits purchasing: an employer perspective,” an editorial in the March 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. A former sleep center co-director, Sherman is now a corporate medical director supporting employer health benefits purchasing strategy development.
Bladder condition may worsen insomnia symptoms in older adults
A new study suggests that the bladder condition nocturia may worsen the already poor sleep of older adults with insomnia.
CMS announces mandatory Medicare FFS payment reductions due to sequestration
The Medicare Learning Network issued a March 8, 2013, announcement to address mandatory payment reductions in the Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) program due to sequestration. In general, Medicare FFS claims with dates-of-service or dates-of-discharge on or after April 1, 2013, will incur a 2 percent reduction in Medicare payment.
Minimize the effect of daylight saving time by adjusting your sleep schedule
This weekend marks the return of daylight saving time (DST) for most of the United States. To help ensure a smooth transition to the new time, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends that you begin to adjust your sleep schedule a few days prior to the beginning of DST.
Recommendations published by National Commission on Physician Payment Reform
The National Commission on Physician Payment Reform published a report on Mar 4 outlining recommendations for changing how physicians are paid.
CMS contracts with RAND and Urban Institute to validate RUC process
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires Medicare to develop validation mechanisms for the relative value units (RVUs) assigned to services paid under the physician fee schedule.
Study finds most physicians lose money after adopting EHRs
According to a study published in HealthAffairs on Mar 4, just 27 percent of practices achieved a positive return on investment five years after implementation of electronic health record (EHR) systems.
New Coding Education Program from the AASM is now available
The AASM Coding Education Program (A-CEP) is a comprehensive online coding program for sleep medicine that makes learning coding and billing basics easy for office staff and technologists.
Study suggests that insomnia may increase risk of heart failure
A new population study from Norway found that insomnia is associated with an increased risk of incident heart failure. The study followed more than 50,000 people for 11 years, noted BBC News. "We still do not know whether heart failure is really caused by insomnia, and it is still unclear why insomnia is linked to higher heart failure risk,” principal investigator Dr. Lars Laugsand told HealthDay.
Discussing the relationship between exercise and sleep
The release of the 2013 Sleep in America Poll results by the National Sleep Foundation sparked media interest this week in the topic of sleep and exercise. Even a little bit of exercise can go a long way to improve sleep, AASM spokesperson Michael Grandner, PhD, told USA Today. He also reminded the Huffington Post that sleep is interrelated with nutrition and exercise as three pillars of health. AASM member Patrick Troy, MD, also discussed common sleep problems with FOX Morning Extra in Hartford, Conn.
NHLBI director Dr. Gary Gibbons presents vision for the future to Advisory Council
A brief summary of the Feb. 12, 2013, meeting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council (NHLBAC) is available online. NHLBI Director Dr. Gary H. Gibbons welcomed members and presented, "Imagining the Future--the NHLBI at 75: Toward a Diverse, Networked Scientific Community."
EHR incentive payment program Affected by Sequestration & IRS Collecting Taxes Under ACA
Hospitals that participate in the Medicare portion of the federal electronic health record (EHR) incentive payment program could lose thousands of dollars in payments as a result of the 2 percent cut to Medicare reimbursements under sequestration.
Sequestration initiated
Last week, President Obama signed an order to initiate $85 billion in spending cuts under sequestration for the fiscal year. The mandated cuts are the first installment of nearly $1 trillion in across-the-board reductions, including a 2 percent reduction to Medicare reimbursement rates.
Affordable Care Act regulations released
The Obama administration recently released more than 700 pages of new regulations to implement various aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The rules cover the ACA's health insurance exchanges and new standards and reforms to the insurance market, such as encouraging cost-sharing, stabilizing health insurance premiums and blocking insurers from denying coverage.
CMS provides timeline for implementation of ACA exchanges
CMS recently issued a detailed timeline that outlines the steps they will take to implement the health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act between now and October 1.
AASM March closeout sale – shop now
With discounts up to half-off, now is the perfect time to shop the AASM March Closeout Sale. Sale items include shipping for orders shipped anywhere in the Contiguous United States. Products are final sale and limited in supply. Order today while supplies last. March Closeout Sale ends March 31, 2013.
AASM Spring Course advanced registration ends March 22
Only two weeks left to save on this one-and-a-half-day course! Physicians and their support staff will learn the clinical and practical guidelines associated with providing durable medical equipment (DME) to patients.
Final week to submit SLEEP 2013 late-breaking abstracts
One week remaining to submit a late-breaking abstract for SLEEP 2013. The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday, March 15, 2013. Late-breaking abstracts should include high quality emerging data found between December 2012 and March 2013.
Hypnogram: Let’s move sleep into the childhood obesity discussion
Obesity intervention programs must take a comprehensive approach to address the complex risk factors that contribute to weight gain in children, and this approach should include an emphasis on healthy sleep. That is what I communicated this week in a letter from the AASM to First Lady Michelle Obama, who launched the Let’s Move initiative in 2010 to improve physical activity and nutrition among children.
Uncovering the link between the circadian and sleep homeostatic processes
A new study in the March issue of SLEEP demonstrates that there is a considerable cross-talk between the circadian and homeostatic processes. The authors concluded that as the clock gene Per2 in the brain responds to both sleep loss and time of day, the molecule is well positioned to keep track of and to anticipate homeostatic sleep need. “Overall, this study adds to the case that clock genes not only underlie circadian and homeostatic aspects of sleep regulation, but that there is a fundamental link between the two processes,” states a commentary on the study.