Accreditation is a formal recognition that a sleep medicine facility meets specific standards of quality and competency in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. This process typically involves an extensive review by an accrediting body, which evaluates various operational aspects. These aspects include the qualifications of the staff, the adequacy and maintenance of the equipment, the protocols for patient care, and the overall environment of the facility.
[Related: The Most-Cited Deficiencies of Sleep Labs During Accreditation Surveys]
Accreditation often leads to improved outcomes due to the continuous quality improvement processes that accredited centers are required to follow. This includes regular reviews and updates to clinical protocols, ongoing staff education, and adherence to new research and advancements in the field of sleep medicine. In addition, many insurance companies require accreditation for reimbursement, ensuring that accredited centers are more likely to be financially viable and accessible to a broader patient population.
Sleep Review’s guide to accreditation organizations in sleep medicine compares options on parameters including accreditation services offered, application fees, term, history, and more.
The sleep accreditors compared are:
Accreditation Commission for Health Care Inc (ACHC)
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
The Joint Commission
Accrediting Organization: | Accreditation Commission for Health Care Inc (ACHC) | American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) | The Joint Commission (TJC) |
Website: | achc.org/sleep | aasm.org | jointcommission.org/sleep |
Description: | ACHC are collaborative experts in sleep accreditation. ACHC industry experts have accredited over 700 sleep labs nationwide, and it has crafted its sleep accreditation program to drive excellence while being encouraging—all for the shared goal of facilitating a higher quality of patient care while enhancing business efficiencies. Get one-on-one advice from its expert account advisors and 24/7 access to its collection of educational resources. At ACHC, its team will empower you to meet your accreditation goals—and build a lasting partnership along the way. | AASM offers volume discounts, aligned expiration and site visit dates for a simpler application process, and promotes accredited facilities in a publicly available directory. Accreditation approval in 2-4 months (1-2 months expedited) from date of submission. Competitive fee structure with no hidden fees. Easy access to Standards for Accreditation, knowledgeable and dedicated staff, and numerous resource materials to support the accreditation process (reference manual with sample policies and procedures, facts sheets, etc). | TJC’s sleep center surveyors provide a collaborative review, recognizing achievement of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other payer requirements, identifying opportunities for improvement, and sharing tips and best practices to optimize accreditation. Organizations benefit from a streamlined application process, dedicated account executive and support staff, as well as essential resources geared towards successfully achieving and maintaining accreditation (such as survey activity guide, readiness roadmap, SAFER matrix prioritization of findings, etc). |
Sleep Services: | Physician-Run Sleep Center with Lab, Physician-Run Sleep Center Without Lab/Home Sleep Testing, Hospital Sleep Lab, Independent Sleep Lab/IDTF, Dental Sleep Medicine Facility, CMS-approved Sleep DME | Physician-Run Sleep Center with Lab, Physician-Run Sleep Center Without Lab/Home Sleep Testing, Hospital Sleep Lab, Independent Sleep Lab/IDTF, Non-CMS Sleep DME, Specialty Practice Accreditation (eg, cardiology practices) | Physician-Run Sleep Center with Lab, Physician-Run Sleep Center Without Lab/Home Sleep Testing, Hospital Sleep Lab, Independent Sleep Lab/IDTF, Dental Sleep Medicine Facility, CMS-Approved DME, Non-CMS Sleep DME |
Base Accreditation Fee: | $1,500 | $4,500 | $1,700 |
Base Reaccreditation Fee: | $4,600 | Member: $4,500; Non-member: $7,200 | $4,400 |
Access Accreditation Standards Doc: | Call 855-937-2242 | aasm.org/accreditation | jointcommission.org/standards |
Accreditation Types: | Corporate/Multifacility, Accelerated | Corporate/Multifacility, Accelerated, Provisional | Corporate/Multifacility |
Site Visit: | Site visit required for initial surveys. Virtual can be requested for renewals. | Site visits required for sleep facility, independent sleep practice, and specialty practice accreditation. Non-Medicare DME does not require a site visit. On-site or virtual site visit determined by accreditation type. | Site visit required. |
Accreditation Term (years): | 3 | 5 | 3 |
Initial Sleep Accreditation Year: | 2009 | 1977 | 1999 |
Number of Valid Accreditations Today: | 620 | 2,400+ | 250+ |
The Sleep Review sleep accreditation guide was last updated in July 2024. A version also appears in our Aug/Sept 2024 print and digital editions.
Information for this guide based on data submitted by accrediting organizations. Sleep Review strives for accuracy in all data but cannot be held responsible for claims made by other organizations. All accreditors get one listing at no charge. All options may not be included. Email editor[at]sleepreviewmag.com to be considered for the next update.
Leave a Reply