AASM President Nancy Collop, MD, will review the AASM’s Innovation Care Delivery and Management Program for Patients with OSA (ICDMPPO) proposal for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Healthcare Innovation Challenge during an evening session, followed by a reception, on Saturday, Feb. 25.  Attendees of the Sleep Medicine Therapies and Business of Sleep Medicine for Physicians are invited to attend this session. Registration for these courses is available while space remains or until Tuesday, Feb. 21; on-site registration will not be accepted.

About the ICDMPPO: The ICDMPPO, submitted to CMS in late January, proposes a new testing algorithm and care delivery/management model for OSA where a board-certified sleep physician and accredited sleep center serve as anchor points for the patient while maintaining communication with the primary care physician. The sleep medicine physician would be responsible for managing the continuum of the patient’s sleep-related care, from the initial visit to the diagnostic test to equipment titration and long-term follow-up. The Healthcare Innovation Challenge grants—which seek to test new care delivery and payment models while demonstrating reduced costs and improved health outcomes—will be awarded by CMS in late March 2012.

About the Informational Session: The ICDMPPO is a result of several years of analysis by AASM leadership regarding the future of sleep medicine. During the informational session, Dr. Collop will provide attendees with background information about the proposal as well as insight into the AASM’s plans for implementation pending grant approval. Additional faculty will discuss elements within the proposal and how this new model for care could affect the future practice of clinical sleep medicine.

How to Attend: The informational session is free to all attendees of the AASM’s Sleep Medicine Therapies and Business of Sleep Medicine for Physicians courses which will be held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Ariz. Feb. 24-27, 2012. The courses, which will review state-of-the-art in sleep center patient care management and business practices, are an ideal opportunity for practicing clinicians to review the latest developments and issues in the field. For more information about the courses—including topics, faculty, and CME information—or to register or view a course brochure, please visit the Sleep Education Series portion of the AASM website. Questions about the courses can be directed to the AASM meeting department by sending an email to education@aasm.org or by calling 630-737-9768.