What is a Sleep Doctor?

I've seen lots of references to "sleep doctors" here, but I have not seen a reference to what their medical specialty is. I know about cardiologists, electro physiologists, pulmonologists, neurologists, etc. So where does a sleep doctor fit in to this. Sorry to be so dumb.
Ed

check at

http://www.absm.org/Diplomates/listing.htm

just pick a letter of the alphabet and check the backgrounds of some of them - most are pulmonary and neurology but the backgrounds can vary and some can even be PhD's

Many Pulmonologists (lungs) have sleep problems as a specialty.

LSAT wrote:Many Pulmonologists (lungs) have sleep problems as a specialty.

My Pulmonologist does -- sleep disorders is one of her specialities.

The American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) was established to encourage the study, improve the practice, elevate the standards of Sleep Medicine, and issue certificates of special knowledge in Sleep Medicine to Physicians and PhDs in related fields.

http://www.absm.org/



Membership in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the major professional society that is dedicated exclusively to the field of sleep medicine, is also a good indicator of the physician's commitment to sleep disorders.

http://www.aasmnet.org/MissionVision.aspx

For me I was a little perturbed that my GP decided to treat me. He sent me to an unaccredited sleep center for my sleep study and titration. He then sent me to a DME that just set me up with whatever they wanted and not necessarily the best thing for me the patient. I started to study up on my ailments and learned a few things.

First, find you an accredited sleep doctor, preferably one that is a pulmonologist. Look them up online. There are listings.
Second, make sure the DME is going to keep their main objective as to treat your condition and not treat their bottom line.

I changed doctors and the DME and took control of my treatment.

For some reason, my first visual when I think of that question so bluntly asked is to think of Baron Samedi from the James Bond flick 'Live and Let Die'... I always loved that portrayal by Geoffrey Holder.

Sleep medicine is still in the 'Wild West' stages of development and standarization. It's pretty new. Any accredited doctor with an interest can get further education, whether their original specialty is pulmonology, cardiology, urology, radiology - whatever. In many states, any practicing MD may write a prescription for CPAP therapy.

From what I recall he practiced in Voodoo didn't he? Wow, such a long time ago, that was a great film! Although we might be better off having some voodoo medicine instead of sleep therapy . Maybe there's some voodoo doctor out there with dolls of us with pins in them stopping us from sleeping

dave21 wrote:...Maybe there's some voodoo doctor out there with dolls of us with pins in them stopping us from sleeping

My dad used to call any MD with a new-age/holistic/tree-hugger bent a 'witchdoctor'. I guess that's why the image came up.
It was one of the better Bond flicks, wasn't it?

Acupuncture uses pins too. Amazing how pins by proxy seems somehow creepier though, eh? Not that I plan to incorporate it into my 'best practices', but I wonder if voodoo includes using pins for beneficial remedies.

Okay, thanks for the info and laughs. Now I don't feel so dumb anymore. Think I might study here a couple more weeks then hang out my shingle.

Ed

Good way to find a sleep doc is to ask the DME:
"Who brings you the most business?"

Sleep medicine is NOT a specialty, it is a sub-specialty. It SEEMS that MOST sleep "specialists" are pulmonologists which is interesting since "sleep" is NOT a lung problem. I suppose pulmos were the most likely to be drawn to sleep as a sub-speciality due to the cessation or reduction in breathing with apneas and hypopneas.

Interestingly, U of Michigan's sleep center is affiliated w/their Neurology department, as is Mayo Clinic's in Minnesota.

I'm sure MANY licensed physicians are drawn to sleep medicine as a sub-specialty seeing it as a "cash cow" speciality since the accrediting sleep organizations allow them to be accredited and practice W/O EVER CONSULTING IN PERSON W/THE PATIENTS! Yet, like a radiologist, they can bill for their time "reading" the test and dictating their results.

Also, Standard F 13 states: "F-13 – Review of Raw Data Continued
The board certified sleep specialist must conduct an epoch-by-epoch review of the raw data of each record to assure that the quality of the recording and the scoring of sleep and associated events is sufficient to allow for interpretation. Specifically, this includes overreading the raw data and interpretations of staff physicians who do not meet Standard B- 4.
Signed attestation of this review must be kept either in the patient record in the form of signature on the report of the test or in a separate journal."

http://aasmnet.org/AccredStandards.aspx

*Bold emphasis mine - Slinky

AND, if you really believe that these prima dona sleep "specialists" really do "read" the PSG resultls epoch by epoch - I've got some seashore lots I'd like to sell you.

IF, on the other hand, you have a sleep specialist who actually consults in person w/you try asking him to go over your full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs and to explain some of the graphs. *wicked grin*

Slinky wrote:IF, on the other hand, you have a sleep specialist who actually consults in person w/you try asking him to go over your full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs and to explain some of the graphs. *wicked grin*

My sleep doc isn't a pulmonologist or an ENT, his specialty is sleep. When I saw him after my diagnostic sleep study he showed me detailed graphs. I remember seeing RERAs with significant leg movement at the end of the event and leg movement arousals where there was no respiratory involvement.

My sleep doc is a pulmonologist/critical care medicine specialist. As I understand it, the pulmonary medicine fellowships (the training a doc go through after completing residencies in order to sup-specialize in pulmonary medicine) all now require training in sleep medicine. Apparently this wasn't the case until maybe 5-10 years ago. At the university medical center in Miami, the sleep clinics are aparently held under the auspices of the Department of Neurology. Go figure.

sorry in advance to slightly hijack this thread, but tonight i was browsing job ads, and found one for a "Sleep Technologist" so of course I checked it out. Mind you I'm in Europe. The requirements for this position was a bachelor in "paramedical" or "kinesiology therapy".

So one of the tasks of this "Sleep technologist", in addition to helping the patient get ready for the PSG and guiding CPAP treatment, was to "interpret and score the neuro-physiological, respiratory, and EKG signals" as well as "prepare the report from the PSG".

I'm sorry, I thought that was the job of the SLEEP DOCTOR!

What's the deal? In the U.S., don't the DOCTORS do the "scoring" ? Or is it common that a Sleep Tech (whatever that means) would do the scoring??

Sorry if I'm stepping on any Tech's toes here, maybe I am misinformed of the extent of their training and capabilities. I was just a bit alarmed at this!