The American Academy of Sleep Medicine invites members to participate on a standing committee. Volunteer committee members provide an invaluable service to the organization and members by contributing to initiatives and projects that are critical to the continued development of the field and also gain professional enrichment through the diverse activities of a committee.

13 standing committees will engage in diverse activities such as developing continuing education and certification programs, creating professional standards and consulting on the creation of education materials. Look below for brief descriptions of each committee.

Service on a committee is a one-year appointment. Members can be reappointed as a committee member on a yearly basis for a maximum three-year term; all committee terms take effect in June at SLEEP 2008, 22nd Annual Meeting of the APSS.

The call for volunteers will take place early in 2009; please watch this page for updates.

---

Academic Affairs Committee

This committee exists to promote sleep medicine as an academic specialty in medical schools. Specifically, the committee oversees the Program of Recognition of Comprehensive Academic Sleep Programs of Distinction.

Accreditation Committee

Accreditation Committee members are responsible for monitoring the standards of AASM accreditation to ensure that they represent current practices. This includes recommending changes in the standards to the Board of Directors when necessary. Further, the Accreditation Committee recommends accreditation status for full-service centers and sleep disordered breathing labs.

Education Committee

The Education Committee proposes, plans, develops, and disseminates educational programs and initiatives and educational products concerning sleep medicine and sleep research. This is done with the purpose of meeting the educational needs of the AASM membership, other medical professionals, medical schools and the lay public. The committee also facilitates the Mini-Fellowship Program for International Scholars.

Fellowship Training Committee

This committee assists sleep fellowship programs in transitioning to ACGME accreditation. Committee members are also tasked with holding a forum for fellowship training directors at the SLEEP Annual Meeting. In the future, committee members will work toward the creation and implementation of in-service examinations for fellowship training programs.

Health Policy Committee

The Health Policy Committee is responsible for addressing issues such as reimbursement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and third party payors; Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC); and state legislative issues such as scope of practice, licensure, education, and training.

Nosology Committee

The Nosology Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of the diagnostic classification system of sleep disorders. In this capacity, the committee maintains an active exchange of information with the international classification system, proposing and lobbying for inclusion of sleep disorder classifications within the system. Committee members develop materials that complement the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and serve as useful clinical and educational adjuncts to this reference book.

Research Committee

The Research Committee facilitates and promotes basic and clinical research in the sleep field. This group facilitates the AASM Young Investigator Award, presented each year at the SLEEP Annual Meeting. Additionally, the committee serves as a primary review source for the American Sleep Medicine Foundation.

Sleep Technologist Issues Committee

Having an adequate number of well-trained technologists is essential. This committee supervises AASM educational programs for sleep technologists, specifically, the growing A-STEP program. Committee members also host a forum at the SLEEP Annual Meeting for technologists.

Standards of Practice Committee

The Standards of Practice Committee develops and updates evidence-based practice parameters for sleep medicine. These recommendations are developed through the review of the available scientific literature and subsequent grading of the evidence. The purpose of the practice parameters is to provide scientifically sound guidance to physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.