Demonstrating the value of board certification in sleep medicine: Trends in diagnosis and impact on quality of care and economic outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries, 2006-2013
2017 Strategic Research Grant
EMERSON WICKWIRE, PHD
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
Key Project Outcomes
This project has made important contributions to the scientific literature regarding the value and public health impact of specialty board certification in sleep medicine. Specifically, the project has demonstrated that 1) board-certified sleep medicine providers (BCSMPs) provide care for a large proportion of older adult Medicare beneficiaries in the US, 2) are more likely than non-specialist providers to provide care for medically complex patients, and 3) are less likely to provide sleep medications as an initial step in the sleep treatment process, without comprehensive diagnosis. Together, these results support the importance of BCSMPs and the sleep medicine field in the care of older adults with sleep disorders throughout the US. Finally, these results are particularly important as Medicare is the largest payer for specialty medical care for older adults in the US, and a major driver of federal and private health policy. The investigator hopes to continue to examine these and related issues vital to population health in the US and the field of sleep medicine, such as the impact of receiving care in AASM-accredited sleep centers, in future work.