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Welcome to the Home Page of the Missouri Sleep Society!
Established in 2008, the Missouri Sleep Society is a non-profit, professional organization dedicated to the growth, improvement and advocacy for the field of sleep medicine in the state of Missouri.
2011 MO-KAN Sleep Conference - Great Success! 2012 Topics in Sleep Medicine In planning stages; scheduled as a joint conference with St. Luke's Sleep Medicine and Research Center for May 5, 2012 in St. Louis at the DoubleTree Westport. Local and internationally recognized experts discussing the most current topics in sleep medicine. Educational credits available. Sleep Clinical News January 9, 2012 American Medical News (1/9, O'Reilly) reports, "The Joint Commission [JC] has issued a sentinel-event alert saying drowsy health professionals are likelier to be involved in adverse events than their well-rested counterparts." JC "advised the more than 6,500 hospitals and other health care organizations it accredits to take steps to mitigate the risks of such fatigue." This "action comes amid more pushback against the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's resident work-hour restrictions, with research published in December 2011 linking the limitations with more complications among neurosurgery patients." Sleep Policy News AASM meets with federal lawmakers and agencies The AASM met with several federal lawmakers and agencies in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss the importance of sleep. The timing for these meetings could not be better, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced rules that call for new maximum hours of work per shift and mandatory rest periods for passenger airline pilots and truck drivers. AASM representatives met with legislative aides for U.S. Senators that serve on health care committees and represent the states of AASM Board members, including Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Senator John Kerry (D-MA), Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). Discussions focused on support for AASM's proposal for an integrated care delivery model to the CMS Innovation Center, repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), funding for NIH and sleep research and the possible effects of health care reform.The AASM also held meetings with federal agencies, including the FAA, FMCSA, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The purpose of these meetings was to strengthen ties, promote the importance of sleep and the role of the AASM as the leading voice in sleep. For more information on these meetings, view the full article on the AASM website. Physicians' Group to Launch New Exam for Sleep Technologists (http://www.brpt.org ) BRPT has been notified that the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has decided to develop a certification exam for sleep technologists to be administered through the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM). Notification was received on December 17, 2010 in a letter from the ABSM. The letter contained no futher details about the exam. A representative of the ABSM has indicated that the exam will be developed over the next six to twelve months. Click the links below to read: BRPT credential holders are encouraged to comment on the development of a new certification exam for sleep technologists through the ABSM on the BRPT message board. American Board of Sleep Medicine Announces Sleep Technologist Certification Examination http://www.absm.org/techcertification.aspxGoal of American Board of Sleep Medicine Technologist Certification Examination
The American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) announces a new Sleep Technologist Certification Examination, with the inaugural examination to be offered in November 2011.
The primary goal of the American Board of Sleep Medicine is to offer a certification examination for sleep technologists based on a blueprint reflective of the day-to-day professional responsibilities of sleep technologists in the sleep center setting and instruction received from available didactic programs. We believe this methodology fairly and responsibly evaluates professional competence.
Additional Examination Information
Last week, the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) sent a communication to technologists holding its credential regarding the new sleep technology certification examination that will be offered by the ABSM. It is important to clarify a few points outlined in their letter and provide additional details about the ABSM Sleep Technologist Certification Examination.
In addition to the initial announcement letter from the ABSM and the response from the BRPT – which were posted by the BRPT – the ABSM sent a second response to the BRPT. This letter is available for review on the ABSM website.
After the initial correspondence from the ABSM was sent to the BRPT, the respective presidents of the two organizations spoke about the new examination. At that time, Janice East, the BRPT president, requested the ABSM delay public announcement of this new examination. The ABSM honored this request. The BRPT then sent its communication without notice.
The ABSM decided to offer a third pathway for certification in sleep technology after ongoing, careful consideration of the current and future needs of the profession. The Board of Directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has engaged in discussions with the BRPT about the RPSGT certification examination for several years. While these discussions were successful in the introduction of the CPSGT examination, other important issues have not been resolved and require immediate attention to safeguard the sleep technology profession.
Challenges related to the licensure of sleep technologists have been mounted in several states. Efforts undertaken, in part by the AASM, have been successful in protecting scope of practice definitions for sleep technology and introducing favorable legislation and regulations. A requirement of the enacted legislation and regulations is certification of sleep technologists, often by firm deadlines.
A third examination pathway enables sleep technologists greater options when taking the certification examination for their profession, which is increasingly required by law. The examination offered by the ABSM does not have a “stated goal of producing a high pass rate” as inferred by the BRPT.
There is no intention by the ABSM to undermine the RPSGT credential or its value in the profession. Current holders of the RPSGT credential will be grandfathered into the new credential if they elect this option.
Strengthening levels of professionalism and competence in sleep technology is paramount to the profession’s future, and the ABSM Sleep Technologist Certification Examination is a reflection of this tenet. The examination is still in development, and more information will be communicated as it becomes available.
About the American Board of Sleep Medicine
The ABSM was established as an independent entity in 1989 and has extensive experience in the development and administration of examinations of sleep medicine professionals. The ABSM administered an examination in sleep medicine from 1989 until 2007. Currently, the ABSM administers an examination in behavioral sleep medicine for doctoral-level professionals in the sleep medicine field. We plan to use established procedures in the development of the examination, subject the results to rigorous statistical analysis and pursue appropriate accreditation. CMS Approves AASM Request for a Medicare Physician Specialty Code for Sleep Medicine
Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) notified the AASM that it will be establishing a Medicare physician specialty code for sleep medicine. The letter noted the important work that sleep medicine physicians provide for Medicare beneficiaries and stated that the request submitted by the AASM met all of the criteria for approval.
In the request that the AASM sent to CMS in September 2010, the AASM pointed out that board-certified sleep specialists have been prevented form participating in some formal Contractor Advisory Committee activities because sleep medicine was not recognized as a Medicare specialty. The AASM also explained that the practice pattern of sleep medicine is markedly different from the six “parent” specialties that provide entry to the field.
Emphasizing that current data used to determine relative value units (RVUs) for sleep diagnostic services identify an array of medical specialists without identifying those physicians who specifically practice in the specialty of sleep medicine, the AASM outlined the following reasons why a physician specialty code for sleep medicine is necessary for the accurate development and application of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS):
- A Medicare physician specialty code for sleep medicine will enable more accurate identification of MPFS practice expenses related to sleep medicine services since the practice expenses for physicians who are identified as sleep specialists differ from other medical specialists, even those specialists who work in related specialties.
- A specialty code will assist CMS in its peer-to-peer comparison of services from specific specialties and in claims adjudication. It also will ease the process followed by durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers in identifying board-certified sleep medicine physicians.
- A specialty code will provide a more effective means to identify episodes of care provided for patients with chronic sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
CMS noted that the establishment of a physician specialty code for sleep medicine will require changes to its enrollment and claims processing systems. Therefore, it is expected that the change will be implemented no sooner than October 2011. The AASM will provide members with additional details as they become available.
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