Expert Faculty to Speak at AASM The Business of Sleep Medicine Course
On Feb. 20–21, 2011, the AASM will host The Business of Sleep Medicine course at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. The course, which will review numerous aspects of sleep center business, will feature 14 distinguished faculty
Look for Your Mailed 2011 Membership Renewal Invoice
Renewal invoices were recently mailed to AASM members to provide the option to renew your membership via mail or fax. Members also can renew immediately online on the AASM website. Renew before Dec. 31, 2010, to take advantage of 2011 early-bird renewal offers (see your renewal invoice for further details).
AASM Reviewing 2011 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
the AASM is conducting a comprehensive review of the 2011 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule and will provide members with an analysis very soon
Letter From President Dr. Patrick Strollo on the 2011 Physician Fee Schedule
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is evaluating the 2011 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule in its entirety and will provide members with a detailed analysis.
Fall Back Into Standard Time with an Extra Hour of Sleep
November 7 marks the return of daylight standard time. On the night of the time change, Saturday, November 6, remember to turn your clocks back one hour.
Study Examines Physician Wages Across Specialties
A study in the Oct. 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine compared wages across broad and narrow categories of physician specialties. The cross-sectional study analyzed data from 6,381 physicians providing patient care in the 2004-2005 Community Tracking Study. Results show that wages for surgery, internal medicine, pediatric subspecialties and other specialties were higher than for primary care specialties.
Physicians Weigh Options as Scheduled Medicare Reductions Approach
Almost 50 percent of medical practices say that refusing to accept new Medicare patients is one of the business considerations currently under discussion due to reimbursement uncertainty, according to a recent report from the Medical Group Management Association.
NIH Revises Application Due Dates for ACCORD Follow-Up Grant Applications
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) have issued a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) encouraging Research Project Grant (R01) applications from institutions/organizations that propose studies that either explore mechanisms of outcomes or other clinical measures using the stored biospecimens from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Disease (ACCORD) participants, or that propose studies to collect new observational data in the ACCORD follow-up study.
Wall Street Journal Publishes Overview of RUC Process
The Oct. 27 edition of the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled, “Physician Panel Prescribes the Fees Paid by Medicare”, which provides an overview of the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC). The RUC Panel is convened three times a year by the American Medical Association (AMA) to provide recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as to how the physician piece of the Medicare payment is determined.
In Memoriam: Helmut S. Schmidt, MD
Sleep medicine pioneer Helmut S. Schmidt, MD, died Oct. 20, 2010, at the age of 71. Schmidt opened one of the first sleep disorders centers in the country in 1975 at The Ohio State University Medical Center.
Volunteer as a Host Site for Mini-Fellowship Program for International Scholars
The AASM mini-fellowship program for international scholars helps international physicians from underdeveloped countries with the resources needed to improve the quality of sleep-related health care in their home country through practical training in clinical sleep medicine.
AASM Accepting Applications for AASM DME Supplier Accreditation
Facilities interested in earning AASM DME supplier accreditation can visit the AASM website to view and download the standards and application for this new program.
Abstract and Session Proposal Submission for SLEEP 2011 Begins Friday, Oct. 29
Session proposals will be accepted for postgraduate courses, symposia, discussion groups and clinical workshops until Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, and abstract submission for oral presentations and poster presentations will be accepted until Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010.
Extraverts are more vulnerable to effects of sleep deprivation after social interaction
Study is the first to examine the effects of social stimulation and personality on sleep functions in humans.
AMA Releases Medical Liability Claims Frequency Information for Sleep
Last summer, the AMA released medical liability claims frequency information based on its 2007-2008 Physician Practice Information Survey.
AASM Acknowledges October Contributions to the ISR Testing Program
Each month a new set of 200 consecutive epochs from a sleep record is posted online for the AASM Inter-scorer Reliability Testing Program. This new and convenient online program provides sleep centers, educational programs and research labs with the opportunity to compare the scoring ability of their staff and students with the AASM Gold Standard Scorer.
Final Week to Save on Two Product Sales through the AASM this October
Oct. 31, 2010, is the deadline to save on AASM personalized brochure packs and products for sleep technologists.
Participate in the 2011 Member-Get-A-Member Campaign
For every new or reinstated AASM Regular or Fellow Member that you recruit for the 2011 membership-year, you will receive a $15 Recognition of Excellence Money (REM) Voucher toward AASM resources including product purchases, course registrations and more.
Apply for ASMF Awards by Jan. 14: Educational Projects & Strategic Research – October 2010
The American Sleep Medicine Foundation (ASMF) is committed to supporting the education and training of sleep scientists and is pleased to offer the Educational Projects Award and the Strategic Research Award as part of the ASMF 2011 grant cycle. The submission deadline for these grants is Jan. 14, 2011.
AASM to Host 2-Day Course for Experienced Sleep Physicians Feb. 18-19 in California
This course is intended for experienced sleep medicine specialists who wish to review the state of the art of the field. Participants have the opportunity to earn up to 16.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits over two days.
APSS Program Committee Requesting Session Proposals on Select Topics
Become an integral part of this historic meeting by preparing a session proposal for review by the APSS Program Committee, which welcomes the submission of all proposals, particularly on certain topics in sleep medicine.
Take Advantage of 2011 AASM Membership Renewal Offers
AASM members can now renew their membership for 2011 online at the AASM website. Individual and Center Members who renew by Dec. 31, 2010, will receive a special offer.
Apply for 2011 AASM Young Investigator Research Forum by Dec. 1
Applications are now being accepted for the 2011 AASM Young Investigator Research Forum. The Forum will provide young investigators the opportunity for collegial interaction with senior faculty members having successful careers across the broad spectrum of clinical sleep research. There is a projected future shortage of clinical sleep researchers, and research funding is difficult to obtain.
AASM Congratulates New Fellow Member
Fellow status in the AASM is a unique honor that recognizes special competency in sleep medicine and significant contributions to the field. The AASM is pleased to welcome the following new Fellow Member: Nancy H. Appelblatt, MD, FAASM
AASM Updates Requirements for A-STEP Online Self-Study Modules
Effective Jan. 1, 2011, the AASM Accredited Sleep Technologist Education Program (A-STEP) will require the completion of all 18 online A-STEP Self-Study Modules: the 14 modules that have been required since the program’s inception along with four additional scoring modules that were recently introduced as a program supplement.