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History of Sleep Techs-RPSGTs
This topic of the history of sleep techs came up in another thread, so rather than bring that thread too far afield, i'm starting a new one on this topic: how long has there been such a thing as a sleep tech, or at least a registered polysomnographic sleep tech (RPSGT)? i'd imagine its a pretty new profession the field of sleep medicine is pretty much in its infancy.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dave Hargett on
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Peter McGregor is RPSGT registry number 1, from June 1979. This year the BRPT (Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists) celebrates it's 30th birthday as the credentialing agency for the RPSGT credential. In that 30 years there have been about 14,000 persons who have become RPSGTs.
My understanding is that the Stanford Sleep Disorders Center was the first sleep center in the US, and it was started around 1971 or 1972 (that's from memory - I didn't fact check!) The sleep research that went on in the 50's was done often by the sleep researchers themselves as they developed the techniques for studying sleep.
The American Association of Sleep Technologists (now the AAST, but formerly known as the APT (Association of Polysomnographic Technologists)) was formally founded in 1981 with a small group of 20 technologists. It now has about 4300 active members (although it is not a requirement to join the AAST if you practice in sleep medicine).
That's my quick response to the numbers. Over the years, as I've attended annual sleep meetings since 1996 to represent the American Sleep Apnea Association and through my volunteer efforts working with A.W.A.K.E. support groups, I've met and gotten to know a great many sleep technologists. I now serve on the Board of Directors of the BRPT, representing the "public".
So, the field of "sleep tech" is actually older than CPAP (1981) or oral appliances or even the UPPP surgery.
I'm sure you will have a few sleep techs on the site chime in later, but that's my understanding of the two main organizations related to the field and the timing of their founding.
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Ah, one thing I forgot. Peter McGregor was also instrumental in the founding of the APT (now AAST) and served as the first President of the APT. I don't know if Peter is a member of this forum, but if he is, maybe he will add some comments.
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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Wow. That's a great overview, Dave. Thanks! I don't think Peter McGregor is a member yet, unless he's the Peter we have from Connecticut (which i found btw using the advanced member search off the "Members" page). It would be cool to find out "Where is He Now?", kind of like how they do with TV child celebrities. I'm sure Mr. McGregor would have some pretty cool war stories from the early days of setting patients up for a sleep test.
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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Not sure how I missed this post. Thank you very much for the history lesson. We get a brief history of sleep in our training, Sometimes the names get left out.
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yeah, Dave's on the Board of your governing body, so he definitely knows his stuff!
Rock Hinkle said:Not sure how I missed this post. Thank you very much for the history lesson. We get a brief history of sleep in our training, Sometimes the names get left out.
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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dsm at cpaptalk.com once gave a history of Dr Sullivan who invented the CPAP and Resmed complete w/some pictures of original and early models of CPAPs on display at the new Resmed facility in Australia. I think he still has the history and pics at his website. I'll have to ask him and get the links if they are still posted there. That would be a good companion to this thread.
Mike, maybe you should consider re-posting Dave's history of RPSGTs as an article!!!
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I've had the privilege of meeting Dr. Colin Sullivan in person at the World Congress of Sleep Apnea in Montreal Canada in the fall of 2006. He was honored and spoke on the 25th anniversary of the publication of his article about the research that led to the invention of CPAP (in 1981).
Ed Grandi and I (Ed is Exec Director and me as Chairman of the American Sleep Apnea Association) took Dr. Sullivan out to dinner and had a wonderful conversation. I paid for the dinner and didn't seek any reimbursement. After all, how often do you get to meet the man who invented the device that has helped save my life! Somewhere I have a photo of Dr. Sullivan and Ed Grandi, but I never got anyone to take a picture of me with Dr. Sullivan - dumb of me! I did get his autograph on an issue of the Wake-Up Call (newsletter of the ASAA) which featured an article about Dr. Sullivan.
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You've had some highlights in your career, haven't you, Dave Hargett. What a fascinating visit w/Dr Sullivan you and Ed Grandi must have had. It is good to read about the early "giants" in xPAP therapy! Thank you for sharing.
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Permalink Reply by The SleepGuide Crew on
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done: http://www.sleepguide.com/profiles/blogs/history-of-rpsgts
Judy said:dsm at cpaptalk.com once gave a history of Dr Sullivan who invented the CPAP and Resmed complete w/some pictures of original and early models of CPAPs on display at the new Resmed facility in Australia. I think he still has the history and pics at his website. I'll have to ask him and get the links if they are still posted there. That would be a good companion to this thread.
Mike, maybe you should consider re-posting Dave's history of RPSGTs as an article!!!
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Mike, I want to apologise to you for correcting you on Dave's credentials. Apparently it was I who was confused. I did not realize that Dave was on the BRPT board as well as the AASA. I know that you told me this several times, but for some reason it did not stick. I need to pay more attention to what is going on in my field on a national level. It is just to easy to get caught up in the education of sleep. Once again I am sorry.
Mike said:yeah, Dave's on the Board of your governing body, so he definitely knows his stuff!
Rock Hinkle said:Not sure how I missed this post. Thank you very much for the history lesson. We get a brief history of sleep in our training, Sometimes the names get left out.
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