Dear AASM members:  As president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), I have the privilege of connecting throughout the year with members who have questions about the AASM and our initiatives. It will come as no surprise that these inquiries have focused almost exclusively on COVID-19 over the last two months.

Across the country, our members are navigating uncharted waters, trying to find a way through a storm that has completely disrupted our lives and our livelihood. While the journey continues to be hard, I have found great encouragement in the resourcefulness and resilience of our members. Sleep medicine professionals are diverse, but we share some common traits, including curiosity, creativity, ingenuity, and tenacity. These qualities will serve us well in the months ahead.

We will get through this crisis together, and I believe that we will emerge from it even stronger. We will adapt, innovate, and learn from one another as we advance sleep care.

Along the way, the AASM will continue to equip you in a variety of ways with the information and resources that you need. One way we will do this is by keeping you connected, both with AASM leadership and with one another, during this unusual season of social isolation. I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to connect:

Annual Membership Meeting – June 15

Save the date for our annual membership meeting on Monday, June 15, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. During this live, virtual meeting, I will share updates and highlights from the past year, and incoming President Dr. Kannan Ramar will discuss AASM priorities for the year ahead. Look for an invitation to arrive soon in your inbox.

Facebook Groups

The AASM recently formed two Facebook groups to give you more opportunities to interact with colleagues in the sleep field. You can join the group for sleep professionals to discuss clinical issues or the COVID-19 group for sleep and circadian researchers to share ideas and collaborate.

Online Conversations

Among the many COVID-19 resources on the AASM website is a video series of Clinical Conversations with members who discuss how they’ve responded to the pandemic. The AASM also is launching a new podcast, Talking Sleep, which will explore a wide variety of clinical topics. These conversations will connect you with other members and thought leaders in the field.

Virtual SLEEP Meeting – Aug. 27-30

SLEEP 2020 will be held online as a virtual conference from Aug. 27 to 30, giving you unprecedented access to the meeting’s educational content. As the premier clinical and scientific meeting in the field, SLEEP is your connection for professional education.

Be safe, sleep well, and stay connected with one another.

Sincerely,

Kelly A. Carden, MD, MBA
President

PS:  Below is a complete list of the resources developed by the AASM to help you respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic. To provide feedback or suggestions for other resources that are needed, please contact us at covid@aasm.org.

Clinical Guidance

Coding & Reimbursement

Telemedicine

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine

Patients

Other Resources