AASM accreditation is the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's program for sleep medicine services, measured against the AASM Standards for Accreditation (updated January 2025), which accredit a Sleep Clinic, In-Lab Testing, home sleep apnea testing (HSAT), a Non-Sleep Clinic and a DME Supplier as linked service locations in an Accreditation Network. This page is for sleep program operators choosing an AASM pathway, whether for a first accreditation or after a change in organization or services. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) crosswalks your sleep program to the AASM pathway you choose and drafts what is missing; your sleep physicians own the clinical content.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
What is AASM sleep accreditation?
AASM describes its standards as "the gold standard by which the medical community and the public evaluate sleep medicine practices," a claim it dates to 1977 (AASM, Accreditation). That is AASM's description of itself.
The governing text is the AASM Standards for Accreditation, updated January 2025, the modular model with sections for Network, Site, Sleep Clinic, In-Lab Testing, HSAT and DME Supplier. AASM's accreditation page states that all programs had to meet the new standards by December 31, 2025. Its reference-materials page still lists older track documents, so build to the January 2025 Standards and confirm with AASM if a document you hold uses the old track names.
The network is the core of the model: "Accredited service locations (Sleep Clinic, Non-Sleep Clinic, In-Lab Testing, HSAT, DME Supplier) that are associated with each other form an Accreditation Network. The Accreditation Network allows for commonalities to be shared in application (policies, procedures, staff, etc.) and allows for syncing of site visits and expiration dates" (AASM Standards for Accreditation, updated January 2025).
How the pieces connect, in AASM's words:
- "A Sleep Clinic is the only accreditation service that can receive accreditation without having another accreditation service as a part of the Accreditation Network."
- "HSAT services must be associated with a Sleep Clinic."
- "In-lab sleep testing service locations must be associated with a Sleep Clinic and an HSAT service location."
- A Non-Sleep Clinic, such as a cardiology clinic, "must be associated with an HSAT service location to perform HSAT and an accredited lab."
- "A DME Supplier must be associated with a Sleep Clinic."
Two rules apply across every pathway. Category I standards: "non-compliance to 'Category I' standards are immediate cause for denial or revocation of accreditation; entities will not be issued provisos (a condition that must be met) for accreditation standards marked as 'Category I.'" And guidelines: "AASM accredited programs must follow all STRONG and STANDARD level recommendation statements in all active AASM Clinical Practice Guideline, Practice Parameter, Clinical Guideline, Clinical Guidance Statement (formerly Position Papers), and Best Clinical Practices papers" (AASM Standards for Accreditation, updated January 2025).
Who needs it and what triggers it
- A first accreditation, where the operator must decide which service locations to bring into the network.
- A change in configuration: adding HSAT, in-lab testing, a second clinic or a DME supplier, each of which must attach to the network in the way the Standards set out.
- A non-sleep practice, such as a cardiology clinic, that wants to offer HSAT under AASM accreditation as a Non-Sleep Clinic.
- An existing AASM program still working from the older track documents. AASM's accreditation page states that all programs had to meet the modular Standards by December 31, 2025.
IHS also has pages for ACHC sleep accreditation, the main alternative; see ACHC Sleep Accreditation consulting.
How IHS helps
- A gap assessment: IHS crosswalks your existing procedures, staff evidence and patient workflows to the AASM service types and network structure you choose, and produces a gap list with Category I items first.
- Document and evidence mapping: each applicable standard tied to the policy or record that meets it, with shared network policies identified once.
- Drafted or revised policies and QI procedures, with clinical content drafted for your sleep physicians to review and approve.
- A mock review against the January 2025 Standards.
- Readiness support before the site visit.
What you supply: your current accreditation status, procedures, staff credentials, and your sleep clinicians and technologists.
The limit: the choice of pathway and accreditor is yours, after your own read of the options. Scoring and interpretation of sleep studies are clinical work. Your program applies and hosts the site visit; IHS does not submit to AASM or correspond with AASM on your behalf.
What to have ready
Items cite the AASM Standards for Accreditation, updated January 2025 unless noted.
- A map of your service locations and which type each is: Sleep Clinic, Non-Sleep Clinic, In-Lab Testing, HSAT or DME Supplier.
- For each HSAT service, the Sleep Clinic it is associated with ("HSAT services must be associated with a Sleep Clinic").
- For each in-lab testing location, its associated Sleep Clinic and HSAT service location.
- For a DME supplier, its associated Sleep Clinic.
- For a Non-Sleep Clinic, its associated HSAT service location and accredited lab.
- A list of the policies, procedures and staff the network will share, since the network "allows for commonalities to be shared in application."
- A Category I self-check, because Category I non-compliance is "immediate cause for denial or revocation of accreditation" with no provisos.
- A list of the active AASM clinical practice guidelines and the STRONG and STANDARD recommendations your protocols follow.
- For a renewal, your expiration date, since AASM charges a late reaccreditation application fee (AASM).
If most of this is in place, the introductory call is the place to start.
How it compares
| Route | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| AASM Full-Service Sleep Center | One sleep clinic, in-lab testing and HSAT, priced as a package (AASM fees). |
| AASM HSAT-Focused Practice | HSAT tied to a Sleep Clinic, since HSAT services must be associated with one (AASM Standards for Accreditation, updated January 2025). |
| ACHC Sleep Lab or Home Sleep Testing | ACHC states that Sleep Lab Accreditation "is for sleep testing services conducted in Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities (IDTFs), as defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), physician-based testing facilities, or hospital-based testing facilities," and that "ACHC Sleep Accreditation is accepted by all Medicare LCDs" (ACHC). See ACHC Sleep. |
| The Joint Commission | We did not review Joint Commission sleep or ambulatory pages for this comparison. |
| No accreditation | We did not review the Medicare LCD conditions for sleep testing, so this page makes no statement about operating without accreditation. |
This page does not recommend one route over another. The choice belongs to your organization.
What it costs
AASM publishes its fees: Full-Service Sleep Center "$5,000" (one sleep clinic, in-lab testing and HSAT) and HSAT-Focused Practice "$4,500" (AASM accreditation fees). Add-ons listed on AASM's accreditation page: Sleep or Non-Sleep Clinic $500, HSAT Diagnostic $4,000, In-Lab and HSAT Diagnostic $4,500, DME Supplier $1,500. An out-of-cycle site visit is "a flat fee of $2000," and a late reaccreditation application is "$750" (AASM). Verify current fees with AASM. ACHC does not publish a sleep fee schedule on the pages we reviewed; fees depend on scope.
IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
What this is not
- IHS is not an accrediting body and does not grant, influence or predict an AASM or ACHC decision.
- IHS does not choose your pathway or accreditor, and does not score or interpret sleep studies.
- This page is not legal or clinical advice, and it does not state what a Medicare contractor will accept.
Frequently asked questions
What are the AASM accreditation options under the 2025 modular standards?
The January 2025 Standards accredit service locations: Sleep Clinic, Non-Sleep Clinic, In-Lab Testing, HSAT and DME Supplier. Locations associated with each other form an Accreditation Network that can share policies, procedures and staff and sync site visits and expiration dates. AASM prices a Full-Service Sleep Center and an HSAT-Focused Practice as packages.
Can an HSAT-only program get AASM accreditation without a sleep clinic?
No. The Standards state that HSAT services must be associated with a Sleep Clinic, and that a Sleep Clinic is the only service that can be accredited without another service in the network.
How does an AASM Accreditation Network work for a multi-site sleep practice?
Associated service locations form one Accreditation Network. AASM states that the network allows commonalities such as policies, procedures and staff to be shared in the application and allows syncing of site visits and expiration dates.
Can a cardiology practice get AASM accreditation as a Non-Sleep Clinic?
The Standards name a cardiology clinic as an example of a Non-Sleep Clinic. It must be associated with an HSAT service location to perform HSAT and an accredited lab.
AASM vs ACHC sleep accreditation: which fits an IDTF or hospital sleep lab?
ACHC states its Sleep Lab Accreditation covers testing in IDTFs, physician-based and hospital-based testing facilities. AASM accredits sleep services through its network model under the January 2025 Standards. The choice belongs to your organization; IHS works to whichever route you select.
Which accreditors are accepted by Medicare LCDs for sleep testing?
ACHC states that ACHC Sleep Accreditation is accepted by all Medicare LCDs; that is ACHC's statement. We did not review the LCD text or AASM's LCD status for this page, so confirm with your Medicare contractor.
How much does AASM accreditation cost for a full-service sleep center vs an HSAT practice?
AASM lists $5,000 for a Full-Service Sleep Center and $4,500 for an HSAT-Focused Practice, with add-ons such as $500 for a Sleep or Non-Sleep Clinic and $1,500 for a DME Supplier. Verify current fees with AASM.
How long does AASM accreditation take, and when is the site visit?
AASM states that initial review takes place within four to six weeks of application submission and payment. The site visit is scheduled 12 months from the date of approval.
What are AASM Category I standards, and what happens if one is not met?
AASM states that all standards must be met, but non-compliance with a Category I standard is immediate cause for denial or revocation of accreditation. AASM does not issue provisos for Category I standards.
What changed for existing AASM programs after December 31, 2025?
AASM's accreditation page states that all programs had to meet the new modular standards by December 31, 2025. Programs built on the older track documents should be checked against the January 2025 Standards.