After more than a year of hard work, Crawfordsville's Athens Sleep Center has received accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
The accreditation process, valid for five years, involves a detailed inspection of a center's facility and staff, including an evaluation of testing procedures, patient contacts and physician training. Additionally, the facility's goals must be clearly stated and include plans for positively affecting the quality of medical care.
This is an important achievement for the center, as the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research.
"It puts us out there as having the highest standards for sleep medicine," said Mary Ann Oppy, clinical coordinator and manager for the Crawfordsville Center. "A lot of times, insurances may state that you have to use an accredited facility to get sleep treatment, so this will allow our patients to use more insurance companies."
Although some people may dismiss sleep disorders as being minor health problems, Oppy said problems such as sleep apnea have been linked to other health issues, such as hypertension, diabetes and some cardiac disorders. In severe cases, it can also lead to death and is sometimes made worse by obesity.
"Every case is different of course," Oppy added, "but we want to enable our patients to live a better life. Some of them are even able to get off certain kinds of medication."
If you or someone you know is experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring or sleep apnea (nightly pauses in breathing), contact the Center, located at 1630 Lafayette Road, Suite 100, by calling 361-9535. Athens Sleep Center is owned and operated by St. Clare Medical Center.
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