Your Membership Will Lapse After Feb. 28th Renew Now to Avoid the Drop!All memberships that have not been renewed for 2017 will lapse at midnight on March 1st. Act now before

this date arrives to ensure your continued access to all member benefits. Click here to renew online!

ADVOCACYAASM president-elect explains why young physicians should “Choose Sleep”In a special Life & Career Q&A for AMA Wire, AASM President-Elect Dr. Ilene Rosen describes for young physicians both the realities and the unique benefits of specializing in sleep medicine. “Much of my time with patients is spent educating them about their illness and focusing on proven treatments that improve quality of life and overall health," said Dr. Rosen. “In order to be an effective sleep medicine specialist, physicians in training should be compassionate, patient-centered, collaborative and tech-savvy." Read the previous AMA Wire Q&A with

HighlightsNewsletter

Volume 2017.1

ADVOCACY

STRATEGICRESEARCH

EDUCATION

PRACTICE STANDARDS

AASM President Dr. Ronald Chervin, and find more info for young physicians at www.choosesleep.org.

AASM meets with Rep. Peter Roskam and Rep. Jason ChaffetzOn Friday, Oct. 21, AASM Director of Health Policy Jay French met with U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Illinois) and U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) to discuss sleep-related medical issues and concerns. Among the subjects discussed, Roskam and Chaffetz were most interested in the AASM’s PTSD resolution and the Stark Law exemption. These conversations will be followed up with Capitol Hill

meetings shortly after the 115th Congress is sworn in this January.

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), and AASM Director of Health Policy Jay French

AASM urges ACGME to limit resident work periods to 16 hoursIn response to the request by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for comments on proposed revisions to Section VI of the Common Program Requirements, the AASM submitted comments advocating that work hours for all residents should not exceed 16 hours per shift.

In contrast, the ACGME is proposing that clinical and educational work periods for all residents must not exceed 24 hours of continuous scheduled clinical assignments, plus four hours to manage transitions in care. Residents also would be allowed to remain beyond 28 hours to continue to provide care to a single patient or to attend educational events.

The AASM’s comments asserted that decades of sleep and circadian science provide indisputable evidence that performance is compromised by extended wakefulness. These risks were described thoroughly in the 2009 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, Resident duty hours: enhancing sleep, supervision, and safety.

The final proposed requirements will be reviewed by the ACGME Board of Directors in February 2017.

If approved, the new/revised requirements (Section VI only) will be shared with the graduate medical education community, with an effective date targeted for the 2017-2018 academic year.

EDUCATION

2017 Sleep Medicine Trends - Register Today Stay on trend with the latest course from the AASM – Sleep Medicine Trends 2017 - taking place in Phoenix, AZ, this February. As a premier educational event for sleep clinicians, Trends 2017 will feature sessions focusing on cutting-edge developments and emerging trends in sleep medicine. Expert faculty will explore state-of-the-art patient care management in the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders, along with strategies to improve current business practices through a mix of session types.

This year’s course will also debut a new hands-on learning experience that allows all attendees an opportunity to participate in a half-day interactive learning program. Hands-on demos and discussions will cover topics such as ASV/BiPAP with downloads and PAP downloads, PAP mask fitting, telemedicine implementation, oral appliance therapy, and more.

R & R with Trends 2017 - Register for Trends 2017 and Receive one year digital access to the 2015 Board Course Review Bundle. There has never been a better time than now to secure your spot at the leading event for sleep medicine clinicians. Now through February 14th, you can register for Trends and prepare yourself with online access to the 2015 Board Course Review Bundle – a $300 value! Register now.

Register today and join 400 sleep medicine professionals at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort February 17-19, 2017. View the Brochure

Verify your registration dates for 2017 sleep medicine initial certification and MOC examThe initial certification examination in sleep medicine and the maintenance of certification (MOC) exam in sleep medicine will be offered on Nov. 20, 2017, by six member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Please refer to the website of your primary certification board for current dates and complete details. More information here.

Sleep Education Spotlight: Later high school start times help teensA review of the scientific literature by a National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project workgroup found that later high school start times are associated with positive outcomes among teens, including longer weekday sleep durations and reduced vehicular accident rates. Published in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the review also found that later school start times may be associated with a decrease in tardiness or truancy.

Learn more about the study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: High School Start Times and the Impact on High School Students: What We Know, and What We Hope to Learn.

STRATEGIC RESEARCHStudy shows positive impact of PAP therapy for hypertensive patients with SDBA new study in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that PAP therapy may have a positive impact on patients that suffer from sleep disordered breathing as well as hypertension. The study shows patients reported improvement in daytime sleepiness, depressive symptoms, and fatigue after PAP therapy. View the Abstract

Article describes methods behind AASM pediatric sleep duration recommendationsA special article in the November issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine describes the methodology used by the AASM to develop the recently published consensus recommendations for the amount of sleep needed to promote optimal health in children and adolescents. The article also presents a summary of the literature and discusses key factors considered by the consensus panel. View the Abstract

Study suggests link between snoring sound intensity and blood pressureA new study in the December 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that snoring sound intensity, as assessed by mean tracheal sound (TS) energy (Leq), is related to morning blood pressure (BP). This population-based study highlights the significance of snoring as well as sleep apnea in the pathophysiology of developing hypertension. View the Abstract

PRACTICE STANDARDSCMS publishes 2017 quality measures specifications for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment SystemOn Dec. 14, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services officially published on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website the 2017 Quality Measures Specifications documents for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program, which will begin Jan. 1, 2017. Established as a result of the implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), the Quality Payment Program fundamentally changes how providers are paid through Medicare with financial incentives being given for providing high value care. In order to accurately gauge the quality of patient care, CMS created specifications to measure or quantify health care processes, outcomes, patient perceptions, and organizational systems that are

associated with the ability to provide high-quality health care. The 2017 Measure Specifications provide a description of each measure in MIPS and provide a blueprint to successful participation by outlining each element of a measure. Learn more about the MIPS Quality Measure specifications that are electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQMs), and read the Quality Payment Program fact sheet for more information from CMS.

Two New Resources from the AASM that You Need to Check Out

Electronic Health Records (EHR) HandbookDesigned to meet the needs of members at every level of Electronics Health Records (EHR) implementation, this members-only handbook features toolkits with specific tips for everything from customizing navigation and note templates to automating order entry. The handbook also includes case studies that highlight EHR usability and optimization. The AASM is excited to offer this resource to members who may be struggling with the many challenges of effectively using EHR in the sleep center.

The new AASM Accreditation Reference Manual simplifies the process of developing and updating a comprehensive policy and procedures manual for your sleep facility and has been completely revised to reflect the updated 2016 AASM Standards for Accreditation. Whether you are developing a manual for a new sleep facility, or refreshing your existing manual to comply with the updated standards, this reference will give you peace of mind in knowing that your facility’s manual

contains all of the policies and procedures required for AASM accreditation.

This easy-to-use guide provides concrete examples of policies, procedures, forms and documents that you will need for your manual. These samples are provided for you to customize according to the specific needs of your sleep facility. Tabbed sections enable you to quickly access the information you need most at any moment. Also included are sections containing job descriptions for sleep facility staff, sample reports, and reference material.

Solidify your policy and procedures manual by using the updated Accreditation Reference Manual today!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2017 Sleep Medicine Trends CourseFebruary 17-19, 2017Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak ResortPhoenix, AZRegister Today!

ASMF HS Video ContestVideo Contest Closes February 20, 2017FREE to enterLearn More

SLEEP 2017June 3-7, 2017Hynes Convention CenterBoston, MARegistration Open

2017 Board Review CourseSeptember 8-10, 2017Loews Chicago O’Hare Rosemont, ILMore Info Coming Soon!