Thought Leaders Articles
Updates from the AASM president and other leaders in the organization
Earlier this week the American Academy of Sleep Medicine launched Evolve Sleep, a comprehensive new web portal for members that will equip you with the resources you need to optimize your sleep medicine practice to provide high value, patient-centered care.
Recently the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) announced that its diplomates who are certified in a subspecialty will no longer need to maintain underlying certification. This positive change was welcome news for the 3,600 internists who are certified in sleep medicine, and it was a hopeful sign for many of the rest of us.
Read an excerpt from AASM President Dr. Nathaniel Watson’s address to the membership at the AASM General Membership Meeting on Monday, June 8, at SLEEP 2015 in Seattle.
The voices of sleep physicians have been heard loud and clear. That is the theme of recent correspondence received by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) regarding its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.
On Wednesday, May 20, several members of the AASM board of directors traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of our membership and the field of sleep medicine. The AASM presented a robust case on Capitol Hill for the importance of healthy sleep, conducting 24 targeted meetings with federal lawmakers.
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.
With more than 100 outstanding sessions and new clinical and research tracks, the SLEEP 2015 scientific program presents you with a challenging dilemma: How do you choose which sessions to attend when so many of them pique your interest and spark your curiosity? As you browse the SLEEP 2015 session schedule to plan your itinerary, be sure to take note of these five sessions, all of which are deserving of your attendance.
On April 1, 2015, physicians will face a 21% cut in Medicare payments due to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). With just one week until the SGR unleashes irreparable damage, and with Congress preparing to break for a two-week recess at the end of this week, the time for action is now.
Founded in 1975, both the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Microsoft are celebrating 40th anniversaries in 2015. As the AASM continues our mission to improve sleep health and promote high quality patient centered care, there is an important lesson we can learn from Microsoft’s history.
Last fall the American Academy of Sleep Medicine sent a letter on behalf of our members to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) expressing multiple concerns about the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. I am pleased to report that earlier this week the AASM and other specialty societies were contacted by the ABIM, which indicated that reasonable improvements are being implemented to address criticisms of the MOC program by making it more relevant and meaningful for physicians.