Besides enjoying a tasty meal, Thanksgiving time allows us to reflect upon things that we are thankful for. It also gives us time to spend with friends, family, and loved ones as we enter the holiday season and the end of the year. This time of year, I always personally take time to pause and show gratitude for the opportunity to work with such wonderful colleagues in our field of sleep medicine. This year in particular, I am exceptionally thankful for the extraordinary commitment to patient care displayed by our members. Your dedication and resolve, during the most difficult of circumstances, have embodied the idea that “sleep is essential to health.”
Out of the over 15 years that I have been a sleep medicine physician, this certainly has been one of the most challenging. The widespread PAP device recall, combined with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, presented unique and difficult clinical scenarios for us all. I’m sure you and your staff have received a deluge of phone calls and emails from anxious patients, just as we have at the sleep center I work at in St. Louis. With limited information, and scarce resources, you’ve had to help each patient choose the best path forward. I thank you for going the extra mile to provide exceptional patient care during trying times. Your work is essential to the health of your patients.
I’m also thankful for those of you who have given your time and expertise to support AASM activities and initiatives this year. With all that has been going on, I’m sure that your discretionary time has been in short supply. I thank you for the sacrifices you’ve made to serve as an AASM volunteer. Your involvement is essential to the sleep field.
Finally, I thank each of you for your support as an AASM member, which bolsters everything the AASM does to advance sleep care. Your membership is essential to the AASM.
I hope that this weekend, and the holiday season that is quickly approaching, will give you ample opportunities to rest, relax and recharge. Remember that sleep is essential for you, too!
Sincerely,
Raman Malhotra, MD, FAASM
President
