In recent months many of us have been learning new economic lessons about supply and demand. Insurers in some regions of the country have dramatically increased the demand for out of center sleep testing (OCST). As a result, sleep centers are faced with the challenge of supplying OCST services to meet this demand.

Last month I joined 300 colleagues in attendance at the AASM’s sold-out winter course in Phoenix on “Emerging Clinical and Business Trends in Sleep Medicine.”  The challenge issued to all attendees was that sleep centers must make plans immediately to integrate OCST as health care policy makers continue to focus on cost containment and efficiency. The way this is done will vary depending on your sleep center’s business model.  Some sleep center directors will determine that the best option for their center is to outsource specific OCST services to a national contractor. These sleep centers will benefit from the AASM’s new program to recognize national contractors offering OCST services that meet AASM accreditation standards.

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.

I want to provide you with important updates about a few AASM initiatives related to out of center sleep testing (OCST) that will empower sleep centers to successfully navigate the changing landscape of sleep medicine. First, the AASM has completed a comprehensive revision of the Standards for Accreditation of Out of Center Sleep Testing (OCST) in Adult Patients. The revisions strengthen the standards in areas such as HIPAA compliance, personnel, equipment maintenance, data reporting and quality assurance. These changes ensure that patients will continue to receive the highest quality of care from OCST suppliers.

“The American Academy of Sleep Medicine considers sleep disorders an illness that has reached epidemic proportions.” “AASM encourages patients to talk to their doctors about sleep problems or visit www.sleepeducation.com for a searchable directory of sleep centers.” You’ll soon be seeing that message on news releases and other communications coming out of AASM. It’s part of the AASM PR initiative to raise public awareness of sleep disorders, which I discussed here recently. These carefully chosen words are designed to sound an alarm and get people the help they need.

Thanksgiving Day is an opportunity for us to spend time with family and friends and reflect on what is most important in our lives. As Cynthia Ozick writes, “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” As president of the AASM, I want you to know that I am extremely grateful for your loyal support of the sleep medicine field.

The coming weekend, the Board of Directors will meet in Chicago to discuss a broad range of issues that currently affect our Academy and have future implications for sleep medicine. Over the coming weeks, I will share news and announcements from the meeting with you and also provide updates on continuing initiatives led by the Board of Directors.

Four months into my tenure as President of the AASM, I am continually encouraged by the support shown by my 9,500 colleagues who are members of the Academy.  Our Academy’s strength is derived from all of you who volunteer on committees, task forces and other initiatives to advance our mission; utilize programs and services to foster your professional growth; and invest in the ASMF and PAC to promote issues critical to our field.  I appreciate your continued support and thank you for being a member of the AASM.  As we enter renewal season, I’d like to make you aware of a few changes designed for our members’ benefit.

Over the past few weeks I have shared several new initiatives the AASM has undertaken to help promote and advance the sleep medicine and your clinical practice, including efforts to brand sleep medicine among the public and establish a Safe Harbor for sleep medicine. In light of the Affordable Care Act, the AASM has been providing members with regular news items in the Weekly Update that highlight provisions within the legislation that affect patient care. I encourage you to read through the healthcare reform overview articles found in this archive in the Legislation section of the AASM website. In addition to education, the AASM is advocating for members on areas related to the Affordable Care Act.

As the present health care system is transformed by policy and technology, the AASM is spearheading efforts to foster a comprehensive sleep health care model for our patients. As I announced, the Board of Directors has approved a public relations plan that brands the sleep team, promotes longitudinal care for patients with sleep disorders, and heightens awareness of sleep among the general public. A concurrent initiative to create a Safe Harbor is launching this month.