Above photo: Abigail Quintos
COBLESKILL – Cobleskill Regional Hospital has maintained its accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) for 15 consecutive years, demonstrating its commitment to providing high-quality care to patients who have sleep problems.
“The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates Cobleskill Regional Hospital on continuing to meet the rigorous standards necessary to maintain accreditation for sleep services,” said Anita V. Shelgikar, MD, MHPE, President of the AASM. “AASM accreditation is the gold standard in sleep care, reflecting a commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered services that help people sleep better and live healthier lives.”
AASM-accredited sleep centers, like the one at Cobleskill Regional Hospital, provide diagnostic and therapeutic care for people who have problems related to sleep and alertness. The specialists who work in sleep centers can help patients with treatments and strategies to cope with sleep disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea, chronic insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy.
“Each of the caregivers who work at our sleep center strive to provide patients with the best possible experience during and after their sleep study. These studies are conducted six nights a week by licensed respiratory therapists or registered sleep technologists, and patients are provided with private rooms. We have a comprehensive sleep disorders center and a great team of sleep clinicians that offer a wide range of services and therapy options for our patients in the community,” said Abigail Quintos, MD, Director of the Sleep Center at Cobleskill Regional Hospital. “Reaching this accreditation milestone is proof of the high standards we have for the services we provide. Much of the credit goes to Dr. Lee Edmonds, who championed our sleep center from its very beginning, and Kelly Cleaveland, RT, Sleep Labs Manager and Respiratory Manager of Ambulatory Services, for her dedication and hard work."
To receive and maintain accreditation for a five-year period, a sleep center must meet or exceed all standards for professional healthcare as designated by the AASM. These standards apply to core areas, such as personnel, facility and equipment, policies and procedures, data acquisition, patient care, and quality assurance. Additionally, a sleep center’s goals must be clearly stated and include plans to positively impact the quality of medical care in the community the sleep center serves.
The AASM is a medical society for physicians, researchers, and other healthcare professionals in the field of sleep medicine. As the national accrediting body for sleep disorders centers, the AASM advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. It first accredited a sleep center in 1977 and today, there are more than 2,300 AASM-accredited sleep centers across the country.
