Pediatric Sleep Center Receives AASM Accreditation

January 20, 2011

The Pediatric Sleep Center at Brenner Children’s Hospital, part of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, has been awarded a five-year term of accreditation as a result of a review by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

“I have been doing pediatric pulmonology for 35 years and I think it is important to be certified because it shows that we meet the strict standards of the Academy of Sleep Medicine for managing children with sleep disorders,” said Karl Karlson, M.D., medical director of pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine at Brenner Children’s Hospital.

The AASM accreditation recognizes sleep disorder facilities for demonstrating a commitment to the provision of quality diagnostic services and for the achievement of providing the highest quality of care for sleep patients. The AASM board assesses the qualifications of the personnel, policies and procedures, patient care and facility equipment.

The Pediatric Sleep Center has a multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists who treat sleep conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, sleep onset anxiety and central hypoventilation syndrome. It is estimated that 25 percent of all children in the U.S. have some form of sleep disorder.

The AASM, established in 1975, is a national organization dedicated to the field of sleep medicine whose membership is comprised of 8,500 physicians, researchers and health care professionals and 1,200 sleep centers.

Media Relations

Megan Lee: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587

Lisa Davanzo: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587