Increasing access to evidence-based insomnia care in the United States: findings from an American Academy of Sleep Medicine stakeholder summit

Free AccessSpecial ArticlesIncreasing access to evidence-based insomnia care in the United States: findings from an American Academy of Sleep Medicine stakeholder summit Helena Schotland, MD, Emerson Wickwire, PhD, Robert M. Aaronson, MD, Spencer C. Dawson, PhD, Seema Khosla, MD, Joyce K. Lee-Iannotti, MD, Roberta M. Leu, MD, Daniel S. Lewin, PhD, Christina S. McCrae, PhD, David Neubauer, MD, Jason C. Ong, PhD, Thomas M. Heffron, Christen Whittington, Jennifer L Martin, PhD Helena Schotland, MD Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York Search for more papers by this author , Emerson Wickwire, PhD Sleep Disorders Center, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryl and Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryl and Search for more papers by this author , Robert M. Aaronson, MD Tucson Medical Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona Search for more papers by this author , Spencer C. Dawson, PhD Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana Search for more papers by this author , Seema Khosla, MD North Dakota Center for Sleep, Fargo, North Dakota Search for more papers by this author , Joyce K. Lee-Iannotti, MD Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona Search for more papers by this author , Roberta M. Leu, MD Division of Pulmonology and Sleep, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia Search for more papers by this author , Daniel S. Lewin, PhD Sleep Health and Wellness Center, Santa Barbara, California Search for more papers by this author , Christina S. McCrae, PhD Department of Psychiatry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri Search for more papers by this author , David Neubauer, MD Sleep Disorders Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryl and Search for more papers by this author , Jason C. Ong, PhD Nox Health, Inc, Alpharetta, Georgia Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois Search for more papers by this author , Thomas M. Heffron American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Darien, Illinois Search for more papers by this author , Christen Whittington American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Darien, Illinois Search for more papers by this author , Jennifer L Martin, PhD VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Los Angeles, California David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California Search for more papers by this author Published Online:November 9, 2023https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.10922SectionsEpubPDF ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations AboutAbstractChallenges exist in access to high-quality care for insomnia disorder. After the recent publication of clinical practice guidelines on behavioral and psychological treatments for insomnia in adults, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) hosted a one-day virtual Insomnia Summit in September 2022 to discuss improving care for patients with insomnia disorder. Fifty participants representing a variety of organizations (e.g., medical, psychological, and nursing associations; patient advocacy groups; and federal institutions) participated in the event. Videos highlighting patient perspectives on insomnia and an overview of current insomnia disorder treatment guidelines were followed by thematic sessions, each with three to four brief, topical presentations by content experts. Breakout groups were used to brainstorm and prioritize issues in each thematic area. Top barriers to care for insomnia disorder include limited access, limited awareness of treatment options, low perceived value of insomnia treatment, and an insufficient number of trained clinicians. Top facilitators of high-quality care include education and awareness, novel care models to increase access, expanding the insomnia patient care workforce, incorporating research into practice, and increasing reimbursement for psychotherapies. Priorities for the future include increasing awareness among patients and providers, increasing the number of skilled behavioral sleep medicine providers, increasing advocacy efforts to address insurance issues (e.g., billing, reimbursement, and performance measures), and working collaboratively with multidisciplinary organizations to achieve common goals. These priorities highlight that goals set to improve accessible high-quality care for insomnia disorder will require sustained, coordinated efforts to increase awareness, improve reimbursement and grow the necessary skilled health care workforce. Previous article Next article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails ISSN (print): 1550-9389ISSN (online): 1550-9397Frequency: Monthly Metrics History Published onlineNovember 9, 2023 Information© 2023 American Academy of Sleep MedicineKeywordsinsomniacognitive behavioral therapy for insomniabarriers to carePDF download