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. 2021 May 1;17(5):1103-1107.
doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9194.

The use of telemedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine update

Qurratul Afifa Shamim-Uzzaman  1   2 , Charles J Bae  3 , Zarmina Ehsan  4   5 , Arveity R Setty  6 , Michelle Devine  7 , Swati Dhankikar  8 , Innessa Donskoy  9 , Barry Fields  10 , Hunter Hearn  11 , Dennis Hwang  12 , Vikas Jain  13 , Dennis Kelley  14 , Douglas B Kirsch  15 , William Martin  16 , Matthew Troester  17 , Lynn Marie Trotti  18 , Christine H Won  19 , Lawrence J Epstein  20
Affiliations

The use of telemedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine update

Qurratul Afifa Shamim-Uzzaman et al. J Clin Sleep Med. .

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread use of telemedicine and highlighted its importance in improving access to sleep care and advocating for sleep health. This update incorporates the lessons learned from such widespread utilization of telehealth to build on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2015 position paper on the use of telemedicine for diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Important key factors in this update include an emphasis on quality and value, privacy and safety, health advocacy through sleep telemedicine, and future directions.

Keywords: advocacy; guidance; quality; safety; sleep disorders; sleep medicine; telemedicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The development of this paper was funded by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Won serves on the Society of Sleep and Anesthesia Board of Directors. Dr. Jain serves on the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists Board of Directors. The participation of Drs. Won and Jain does not imply endorsement by the respective organizations on which they serve as Board of Directors members. Dr. Epstein serves as a consultant for AIM Specialty Health, eviCore Healthcare, Somnoware, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Trotti serves on the AASM Board of Directors. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.

References

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