RiverView Health’s Sleep Lab recently received full accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) for five years. Accreditation by the AASM is the gold standard by which the medical community and the public evaluate sleep medicine facilities.
“Achieving the AASM accreditation is about commitment to quality, dedication to patients, and improvement in care,’’ shared Dr. Arveity Setty, sleep medicine specialist and pediatrician. “Our accreditation indicates to patients and referring physicians that we are dedicated to providing the highest patient care in sleep medicine.’’
Dr. Setty, who is board-certified in sleep medicine, has been the medical director of RiverView’s Sleep Lab for nearly four years. Because of his vast knowledge of both sleep medicine and pediatrics, RiverView can provide studies for patients ages five and older. Three registered polysomnographic technologists also staff the Lab.
While RiverView has been providing sleep studies since 1996, this is the first time the Lab has gone for the gold standard accreditation, according to Lori Cayler, RPSGT.
“Receiving accreditation from the AASM is not an easy process, as the standards are very high,’’ reported Cayler. “Among the many requirements, the AASM requires Dr. Setty be board certified in Sleep Medicine, and all staff members be registered technologists or in the process of becoming so. The AASM also checks all of our continuing education units, policies and procedures, equipment, emergency and safety policies, HIPPA, and quality assurance, to name a few.’’
According to Cayler, it is essential for patients to see Dr. Setty prior to a sleep study to continue to meet the AASM’s high standard of care. Meeting with Dr. Setty to assess the appropriate testing, if needed, assists him in further evaluation. “Consulting with Dr. Setty is fantastic for patients. They very much appreciate having the expert guide their care in a healthier direction. We have been getting great feedback on this already.’’
As part of RiverView’s 2020 new hospital and clinic build, the fully equipped Sleep Lab includes two hotel-like bedrooms, each equipped with a queen-size bed, cable television, fan, and private bathroom. However, not all testing needs to be done in the Lab setting. RiverView also offers Home Sleep Apnea Testing (HSAT) and Actigraphy.
HSAT is available to those who qualify. Some of the medical guidelines required for a home study include:
- A high pretest probability of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
- Over the age of 18
- Unable to have an in-center sleep study because of issues with immobility, safety, or critical illness
- Does NOT have comorbid medical conditions such as moderate to severe pulmonary disease, neuromuscular disease, or congestive heart failure
Actigraphy is another service offered to patients referred to the Sleep Lab. Much like a Fitbit, this is a watch the patient takes home and wears for approximately two weeks. It collects valuable data on the patient’s sleep/wake patterns. Once the device is returned, the data is used to evaluate and treat the patient if a disorder is detected, such as:
- Insomnia
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS)
- Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)
- Shift work sleep disorder and others
- Circadian rhythm disorders
An estimated 50-70 million Americans have a chronic sleep-wake disorder, leading to other serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, or a devastating accident due to untreated sleep issues.
Good health starts with good sleep. If sleep, or lack of it, is a problem, talk to your primary care provider for a referral to the RiverView Sleep Lab or call Rehab Services at 281-9463 for more information.
