Did you know that you could provide monitored anesthesia care for sleep studies and then read them, too? Sleep medicine is a relatively new addition to the various subspeciality certifications available to an anesthesiologist.
As emphasized by the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model, focus on coordinated perioperative care improves operational efficiencies, decreases resource utilization, and reduces length of stay and readmission, thus decreasing complications and mortality. Underlying sleep disorders can significantly impact a patient's perioperative course. Sleep loss in the postoperative period is prevalent and may adversely affect recovery. The Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine (SASM) was founded in 2010 to explore the role of an anesthesiologist to optimize these issues in the perioperative period. In March 2011, the American Board of Medical Specialties approved the American Board of Anesthesiology's request for sponsorship of subspeciality certification in sleep medicine (Anesthesiology 2011;115:217). Residents or practicing anesthesiologists interested in...
