March 2015 – Reports – Sleep Medicine Committee (SMC)

Published in ESRS Newsletter March 2015

ESRS Sleep Medicine Committee (SMC)

Current Members (2014 – 2016):

Thomas Penzel (Coordinator), Walter McNicholas (Vice-Coordinator), Erna Sif Arnardottir, Simone de Lacy, Marie-Pia d’Ortho, Colin Espie, Diego Garcia-Borreguero, Lino Nobili, Tiina Paunio, Dirk Pevernagie, Thomas Pollmächer, Javier Puertas, Andrea Rodenbeck, Marco Zucconi

The Sleep Medicine Committee is currently preparing the second regular examination for ESRS somnologists and the second grandparent’s examination for sleep technologists in Barcelona to take place during the ESRS / ERS Sleep and Breathing congress on 15th April 2015. We received 68 applications for the Somnologist examination and 33 for the Technologist examination. The new ESRS textbook on sleep medicine was published just in time and serves as the primary text of the exam. All questions were checked in the context of the information provided in the book and edited accordingly.

Currently, the Sleep Medicine Committee is working towards recognition of Sleep Medicine as a medical subspecialty in Europe. Another important activity is developing a strategy for the accreditation of sleep medicine centres. We are discussing the establishment of different types of sleep centres (training and research centres, multi-disciplinary centres, single-discipline centres). The role of the ESRS may be more that of an umbrella organisation, assisting and guiding national sleep societies rather than accrediting centres in person. Most important will be the establishment of sleep medicine training centres. In order for this to occur, alignment with the other committees, national sleep societies, and the ERS is needed. Other certification activities occurring throughout Europe, like stroke centre certification and HERMES respiratory centre certification will be studied in order to create a meaningful ESRS sleep centre certification.

Thomas Penzel