Charleston, SC - Summerville Sleep Center has received accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) as a sleep disorder center. The Sleep Center is recognized as a facility that provides the highest quality of patient care to individuals with sleep related disorders. Over 70 million Americans suffer from chronic fatigue, sleep apnea, snoring or insomnia. Summerville Sleep Center has been diagnosing and treating sleep related disorders for over 20 years.

“The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates Summerville Sleep Center on meeting the high standards required for receiving accreditation as a sleep disorders center,” said Dr. M. Safwan Badr, AASM president. “Summerville Sleep Center is an important resource to the local medical community and will provide academic and scientific value in addition to the highest quality care for patients suffering from sleep disorders.”

To receive accreditation for a five-year period, a sleep center must meet or exceed all standards for professional health care as designated by the AASM. These standards address core areas such as personnel, facility and equipment, policies and procedures, data acquisition, patient care, and quality assurance. Additionally, the sleep center’s goals must be clearly stated and include plans for positively affecting the quality of medical care in the community it serves. “This national accreditation is a direct result of the excellent staff we have,” said Lois Lehman, director of Respiratory Care and Summerville Sleep Center.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine accredited a sleep disorders center for the first time in 1977. Today there are more than 2,500 AASM-accredited sleep centers across the country. Summerville Sleep Center is directed by William R Cook, MD, and is located at 105-B Burton Street.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a professional medical society for clinicians, researchers, and other health care providers in the field of sleep medicine. As the national accrediting body for sleep disorders centers, the AASM is dedicated to setting standards and promoting excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research.