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Permalink Reply by 99 on January 25, 2011 at 8:57pm

sleep guide shoud ask for a seat and a voice on these various boards to have a meanigful imput

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Permalink Reply by D. W. Conn on January 27, 2011 at 8:23am

I can see the point the ABSM is trying to make. The ABSM has not yet made it clear “if” they intend their credential to replace the RPSGT in the future.
I can say this to both credentialing bodies. The RPSGT is one of the most expensive to maintain with the current CEU-CEC programs offered.
So many issues to work on.. really is the new credential needed? Like I said in the other post “If “ they go on with this credential I will take the exam or grandfather in..depending on what is offered. It never hurts to have another credential. If this keeps up we will need fold out badges.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Nay on January 27, 2011 at 4:18pm

I would emphatically suggest that all RPSGTs consider a boycott of grandfathering their RPSGT credential to the AASM credential. Grandfathering the RPSGT into the AASM credential is in the best interest of the AASM only, and will speed up the effect of diluting the value of your RPSGT . They will no doubt charge a fee for grandfathering, it will give their credential of questionable value immediate value and legitimacy, and with an easier exam and a growing pool of "certified" sleep technologists, salary rates will naturally slide downward, which will benefit all the owners of private sleep programs, salaries are their largest expense and impediment to profitability. Is it a coincidence this move follows closely on the heels of CMS announcing reducing reimbursement for sleep studies? There is nothing good for patients or for sleep technologists in this move by the AASM, but according to them, it is a done deal. The only way to have your voice heard is through your wallet, refuse to grandfather your credential, and although too late this year, drop personal and institutional AASM memberships for next year, and seek an alternative accreditation body and affiliation. It is obvious that this is purely a revenue producing scheme by the AASM, their baseless allegations about the test being too hard on the one hand, and "medical directors of accredited sleep programs" complaining about low skill levels of those who have passed the exam on the other hand is vague, non-sensical, contradictory, and apperently indefensible guaging now by their present position (which is refusing further comments or engaging in any more discussions, i.e. our mind is made up, don't confuse us with facts). The president of the BRPT pointed out in her letter that the medical directors of these accredited programs are the ones who ultimately prepare their own staff for the exam (i.e. AASM dictates that boarded sleep specialist MD is the "gold standard" comparison for scoring in an accredted sleep program) how can they blame anyone but themselves that RPSGTs are not qualified upon passing the boards? The CPSGT was created at the request and with the cooperation of the AASM, and after $100,000 spent developing it, but before its impact is completely seen, the AASM announces their plan, it seems blatently obvious that was their intent all along. The AASM and ABSM will both make money from this credential, directly and indirecctly, and the AASM has become extremely revenue oriented as of late, even their holiday greeting to their members had a request at the bottom to "Please pay your dues early". The AASM has shed its roots in the APSS and become a special interest group of physicians concerned with issues that affect their bottom line, nothing more. A dire situation for the future of sleep disorders medicine and its practicioners, the field is still in its adolescence and needs the support of a strong advocate organization, not one that is eager to starve it for the sake of short term profits.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Peck on January 29, 2011 at 6:17am

I would like to take exception to a part of the comment below. 

 

The president of the BRPT pointed out in her letter that the medical directors of these accredited programs are the ones who ultimately prepare their own staff for the exam (i.e. AASM dictates that boarded sleep specialist MD is the "gold standard" comparison for scoring in an accredted sleep program) how can they blame anyone but themselves that RPSGTs are not qualified upon passing the boards?

 

I have be educating sleep techs for 17 years.  While physicians may know what to call a stage, or an event, while they can recognize artifact, and in some cases make a decent educated guess as to it's cause, they are not technologists and do not know the finer points of hookups, equipment use, maintenance and repair, troubleshooting, mask fittings or dozens of other technical aspects that fall to the perview of the technologist. Nor should they be expected to.  That is not their job.  Diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders is their job.  Our job is the technical aspect of diagnosis and treatment.  To lay the blame on physicians for poor quality technical staff is inappropriate.  They recognize the problem, but they are not trained to address it, only qualified technologists can do that. 

 

And there are plenty of RPSGTs out there who are not fit to have the title. I have gone to labs as a consultant, only to find RPSGTs who don't know REM from Delta sleep, who feel that naps when on shift with patients are not only acceptable but expected, who find it appropriate to leave the water in the humidifiers until the scum could be scrapped off with a knife, who don't clean, much less disinfect, equipment between patients, who get patients up and throw them out of the lab at 3 am so they can go home early, who can't even explain the physiology behind an apnea.  I could go on and on.  And in many labs these same technologists are the ones training the next generation of technical staff.

 

On the flip side I have seen greedy uncaring and careless physicians who pay slave wages to staff who work in dungeons with antiquated, outdated and in some cases unsafe equipment, who's only goal is to run as many studies and sell as much equipment as possible.  I have seen physicians who disrespect their patients and staff.  None of that is acceptable to me.

 

I love my profession.  I love my patients and my students.  There are lots of excellent technologists out there, but there are also plenty who fall far short of the mark, and, sadly, they are the ones who everyone will remember. 

 

I don't know all the answers, I'm not even sure I know any of the answers.  Solid college programs are one piece, I feel sure of that.  I want to see every sleep tech, regardless of how they acheive certification be fully competent and a credit to the profession.  I can guarantee that if this divisiveness continues that everyone will lose. 

 

 

Ken Nay said:

I would emphatically suggest that all RPSGTs consider a boycott of grandfathering their RPSGT credential to the AASM credential. Grandfathering the RPSGT into the AASM credential is in the best interest of the AASM only, and will speed up the effect of diluting the value of your RPSGT . They will no doubt charge a fee for grandfathering, it will give their credential of questionable value immediate value and legitimacy, and with an easier exam and a growing pool of "certified" sleep technologists, salary rates will naturally slide downward, which will benefit all the owners of private sleep programs, salaries are their largest expense and impediment to profitability. Is it a coincidence this move follows closely on the heels of CMS announcing reducing reimbursement for sleep studies? There is nothing good for patients or for sleep technologists in this move by the AASM, but according to them, it is a done deal. The only way to have your voice heard is through your wallet, refuse to grandfather your credential, and although too late this year, drop personal and institutional AASM memberships for next year, and seek an alternative accreditation body and affiliation. It is obvious that this is purely a revenue producing scheme by the AASM, their baseless allegations about the test being too hard on the one hand, and "medical directors of accredited sleep programs" complaining about low skill levels of those who have passed the exam on the other hand is vague, non-sensical, contradictory, and apperently indefensible guaging now by their present position (which is refusing further comments or engaging in any more discussions, i.e. our mind is made up, don't confuse us with facts). The president of the BRPT pointed out in her letter that the medical directors of these accredited programs are the ones who ultimately prepare their own staff for the exam (i.e. AASM dictates that boarded sleep specialist MD is the "gold standard" comparison for scoring in an accredted sleep program) how can they blame anyone but themselves that RPSGTs are not qualified upon passing the boards? The CPSGT was created at the request and with the cooperation of the AASM, and after $100,000 spent developing it, but before its impact is completely seen, the AASM announces their plan, it seems blatently obvious that was their intent all along. The AASM and ABSM will both make money from this credential, directly and indirecctly, and the AASM has become extremely revenue oriented as of late, even their holiday greeting to their members had a request at the bottom to "Please pay your dues early". The AASM has shed its roots in the APSS and become a special interest group of physicians concerned with issues that affect their bottom line, nothing more. A dire situation for the future of sleep disorders medicine and its practicioners, the field is still in its adolescence and needs the support of a strong advocate organization, not one that is eager to starve it for the sake of short term profits.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on January 29, 2011 at 11:08am

a post from Joe Anderson's blog titled "Is the Professional Sleep Community Represented Fairly":

 

In the last several weeks there seems to be a lot of buzz surrounding the AASM/ABSM’s announcement that they will be developing and administering a new credentialing exam for professional sleep techs sometime later this year.

As we are all trying to understand the reasoning behind this “surprising” pathway, we are being told by the AASM/ABSM that their reasons for adding a fourth sleep credential include low pass rates with the existing RPSGT exam and complaints from sleep center/lab physicians that the new crop of RPSGT’s do not have the skills needed to meet the labs needs regarding patient care and professional processes.

Now I know that I am just a mere educator and simply hold multiple credentials in a variety of related professions, which includes being a proud registered sleep tech for about 15 years, so maybe I am not smart enough to understand this reasoning by the AASM/ABSM. But what stands out in my mind is where is the representation I have always paid for, and expected, from the AAST?

After finding out about this new credential pathway I did some of my own investigation to try and find the answers to some questions that my elected AAST leadership has yet to answer. I called numerous sleep centers accross the country and spoke with many center/lab physicians and techs and without failure each and every one of them had “no such complaints” as explained to us by the AASM/ABSM. Maybe I just did not ask the right people, after all I am “only” a sleep tech and educator.

Now I admit that I have limited resources and time and could not possibly contact everyone to ask their opinion. So I asked myself who could do this for me, for us. Who has the resources to contact some 17,000 RPSGT’s and thousands of accredited sleep facilities and physicans to ask the same questions that I asked when I contacted just a few dozen. 

From what I am reading in the blogs, and Facebook, and other cyber space sites is that many of you are asking the same question and most of you are coming to the same conclusion: the AAST, the AASM, and the ABSM. After all, isnt this why we have paid year after year of membership fees, supported annual meetings, and donated our time to further the cause of sleep professionalism. My expectation, maybe your expectation as well, was that my membership dollars and my donated time was not only to futher the cause of sleep professionalism but was to also protect my credential. Doing both would protect my livelihood as well.

As I said in the beginning of this rant, maybe I am just not smart enough to understand where my representatives have been on this matter, much less where they stand today. I also dont understand why nobody asked me my opinion about any of this over the last several years. And the same concern was expressed to me when I called upon the physicans and techs that I have spoken with over the last week or so.

The actions taken by the AASM/ABSM/AAST may be based on valid reasoning and concerns. I have no way of knowing one way or the other. So far they have only told us what they want us to know and have not released any valid data to support their decision. However what I do know is that the actions, or lack of action, by all three entities have thrown this profession into chaos. And the statement by the AASM/ABSM that I will be able to “grandfather my RPSGT” to their new credential means that at some near point in time my RPSGT credential will be worthless.

Its important to also remember that many of our representatives in these organizations are volunteers. They too have donated massive amount of their personal time and energies to support our profession. But it is also important to understand that their are also many “paid” representatives and staff that depend on the survival, and expansion, of these organizations for their income and in some cases, their positions of power and authority.

How each of you react to this chaos that was thrown upon us is a personal decision. I have read and heard that many or you are cancelling memberships and others are cancelling plans to attend the national meeting and opting instead to pay their dollars to state and regional meetings. Still others are taking the “wait and see” approach to see where the AAST  ”publically” stands when they eventually do take a stand either way for the development and testing of the new credential.

Whatever action you take or dont take I suggest that you stay informed and do your homework. Talk to each other, send emails to your elected industry and organization representatives. Make an informed decision on what action you take as an individual. For me, its pretty simple personal decision; since I am not smart enough to be asked my opinion I will be attending the Southern Sleep Meeting in New Orleans where I can be with other RPSGT’s who may actually think that I have something of value to say.

Joseph Anderson, RPSGT, RPFT, CRT-NPS, RCP

 

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