The Mohawk Valley Sleep Disorders Center at St. Elizabeth Medical Center has received its fourth re-accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) for a period of five years. The Mohawk Valley Sleep Disorders Center was the first sleep center in the Greater Utica-Mohawk Valley area to earn this distinction, dating back to 1997.
Accreditation is a voluntary process to assess sleep programs and is based on Standards for Accreditation established by the AASM. The AASM is a professional medical association representing practitioners of sleep medicine and research. To receive a five-year accreditation, a sleep center must meet or exceed all standards for professional quality healthcare as designated by the AASM. The AASM accreditation process involves thorough inspection of the center’s facility and staff, as well as an evaluation of testing policies and procedures, patient contact and education, and physician training. Additionally, the facility must provide a detailed quality assurance plan and include evidence of successfully meeting clearly defined goals and objectives as they relate to the quality of medical care in the community it serves.
The Mohawk Valley Sleep Disorders Center at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, located in the College of Nursing building, features a state-of-the-art, sleep monitoring control room and six comfortable bedroom suites. The Mohawk Valley Sleep Disorders Center at St. Elizabeth Medical Center has a staff of three registered polysomnographic technologists who are dually credentialed by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists and the American Board of Sleep Medicine. They are Jami VanEtten, RN, Director; Diana Watts, RT; and Alex Naumenko. Additional staff members are: Janice Stone, RT, Patty Kuhl, RT, Lisa Sementilli, RTT, Cindy Falk, RT, Nancy Scagel, RTT, and Dawn Gilchrist, RTT, all respiratory care practitioners; Carletta Darling, Kim Jones, Michelle Andrews, and Carol Cross, LPN, administrative staff; Steven Levine, D.O., FASM, FCCP, Medical Director; and Matthew LaBella, RPA-C.
The Mohawk Valley Sleep Disorders Center at St. Elizabeth Medical Center is uniquely equipped to provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of various sleep disorders. It has been serving the community for over 16 years with highly qualified professionals and the most advanced instrumentation.
“One of the more common sleep problems is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome,” said Medical Director Dr. Steven Levine. “Signs and symptoms may include snoring, periods where one sleeping stops breathing or gasps for air, morning headaches, frequent awakenings with need to urinate, problems with concentration and memory, mood swings and a feeling of depression, to name a few. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition,” he said. “Studies indicate that it may result in an increased risk of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, diabetes, stroke and other vascular diseases.”
