How to Tell If a Sleep Center Is Accredited
If you have been told you need a sleep study, one of the first questions worth asking is how to tell if a sleep center is accredited. Accreditation means an outside organization has reviewed the center against published standards for how sleep disorders are tested and treated. This guide explains what sleep center accreditation means, why it is granted service by service, how to check it yourself for free in a few minutes, and what else to ask before you book.
Vector Sleep Diagnostic Center in Rego Park, Queens has run sleep testing since 2005 and performs 900 to 1000 sleep studies a year. The steps below work for any sleep center you are considering, including ours.
What Sleep Center Accreditation Means
In sleep medicine, the best known accrediting body in the United States is the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The AASM says its Standards for Accreditation have been the benchmark used to evaluate sleep medicine practices since 1977, and that they were written with the primary purpose of ensuring high quality care for patients with sleep disorders (AASM, Standards for Accreditation).
According to the AASM’s patient directory, accredited facilities have a board-certified physician who leads a team of trained healthcare professionals, and they must comply with the AASM Standards for Accreditation (AASM Sleep Center Directory). Accreditation is a statement about the program, not a guarantee about any single test, but it tells you the center has been held to a published standard.
Accreditation Is Granted Service by Service
This is the detail most patients miss. Under the AASM’s current service-based model, the standards are divided into sections for the network, the site, the sleep clinic, in-lab testing, home sleep apnea testing (HSAT), and durable medical equipment suppliers. The AASM also notes that satellite services of an accredited program are not automatically accredited; each service in a network has to be included in the application (AASM Accreditation).
In practice, that means a center can be accredited for one kind of testing and not another, and one location of a multi-site practice can be accredited while another is not. When you check, check the exact service you are booking at the exact address where you will be tested.
How to Check a Sleep Center’s Accreditation
You do not have to take a website’s word for it. These steps take a few minutes and cost nothing:
- Search the directory. The AASM’s Sleep Center Directory lets you search for accredited centers by location and distance.
- Use the verification tool. The AASM’s accreditation verification page lets anyone confirm an AASM accredited program, and the AASM describes it as simple and free.
- Ask the center directly. Ask which organization accredits it, which services are covered, and whether the accreditation applies to the location where you will sleep.
- Check that it is current. The AASM’s current standards took effect January 1, 2025, and accredited programs had until December 31, 2025 to meet them, so an accreditation claim should reflect the program as it stands today.
Questions to Ask Before You Book a Sleep Study
A short phone call before booking tells you a lot about a center. A center that takes quality seriously will answer these plainly.
About the Test
- Is my test an overnight study in your lab or a home sleep apnea test?
- Which signals will the study record, and is it right for the symptoms my doctor described?
- Is the service I am booking covered by your accreditation, if you hold one?
About Results and Next Steps
- Who interprets my study, and what are that physician’s board certifications?
- How will I receive my results, and who explains them?
- If I am diagnosed with sleep apnea or another disorder, what happens next?
About Cost and Insurance
- Do you accept my insurance plan, and is prior authorization needed?
- Will I receive separate bills for the study and for the interpretation?
For more on coverage, read our guide to sleep study insurance in New York.
Warning Signs Worth Pausing Over
- The center will not say which organization, if any, accredits it.
- No physician is named as the one who reads and signs your results.
- Nobody can tell you whether your test is in a lab or at home until the day of the appointment.
- There is no clear plan for explaining results or for what happens after a diagnosis.
One of these alone may have a simple explanation. Several together are a reason to compare other options before you book.
Accreditation Is Only Part of the Picture
Accreditation tells you a program met a published standard. It does not tell you whether a center is convenient enough that you will actually go, whether it takes your insurance, or whether its testing fits your symptoms. Our guide to finding the right sleep disorder center in Rego Park covers those factors, and our comparison of at-home sleep studies and in-lab polysomnography explains when each test is used.
If you are coming from outside Queens, our pages for patients near Valley Stream, Lynbrook, and Glen Cove explain how to reach us.
Sleep Testing at Vector Sleep Diagnostic Center
Vector Sleep Diagnostic Center is at 62-60 99th Street in Rego Park, Queens. In-lab sleep studies are our main service, along with EEG studies, including prolonged EEG of 7 to 14 days. We have run sleep testing since 2005, perform 900 to 1000 sleep studies a year, and accept all major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. If you want to ask us any of the questions above, including about accreditation, call us before you book.
Have questions before you book a sleep study? Call Vector Sleep Diagnostic Center and our Rego Park team will answer them.
Ask About a Sleep Study at Vector
Send your details and our Rego Park team will contact you about testing and insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who accredits sleep centers in the United States?
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is the best known accrediting body for sleep medicine. Its Standards for Accreditation have been used to evaluate sleep medicine practices since 1977.
How can I check if a sleep center is accredited?
Search the AASM Sleep Center Directory at sleepeducation.org, use the free AASM accreditation verification page, or ask the center which organization accredits it and which services and locations are covered.
Does accreditation cover every test a center offers?
Not necessarily. The AASM accredits services separately, including the sleep clinic, in-lab testing, home sleep apnea testing, and equipment supply, and satellite services are not automatically accredited. Check the service and location you are booking.
What does an accredited sleep center have?
According to the AASM, accredited facilities have a board-certified physician who leads a team of trained healthcare professionals and must comply with the AASM Standards for Accreditation.
Does Vector Sleep Diagnostic Center accept insurance?
Yes. Vector accepts all major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Call (718) 830-2800 to confirm coverage for your plan before your study.
Choosing where to have a sleep study is worth a phone call. Call Vector Sleep Diagnostic Center in Rego Park at (718) 830-2800 or request an appointment online, and ask us anything on the list above.
