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Just recieved from the BRPT:
January 19, 2011
To my fellow BRPT credential holders:
We have been notified that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has decided to develop a certification exam for sleep technologists, and I believe that decision will concern you as much as it concerns me. AASM has been very clear: a primary goal is to produce a test that will be easier to pass.
The RPSGT credential earned from the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) is not only a confirmation of hard work and commitment to our profession. The RPSGT exam, accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), represents the gold standard in our profession and supports and sustains the professional standing we enjoy with state and federal regulators, under reimbursement guidelines for Medicare and Medicaid, and within the broader allied health community. More than 17,000 sleep technologists have earned the RPSGT credential since the RPSGT exam was introduced 32 years ago.
We have been working closely over the past three years with AASM to address AASM's concern that too few technologists are passing the RPSGT exam, resulting in an unmet demand for new certified technologists. In fact, we invested over $100,000 to launch the Certified Polysomnographic Technician (CPSGT) exam last year in response to a direct request from the AASM leadership. The CPSGT exam was developed in close collaboration with representatives of both AASM and the American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST) and was positioned as the first step in a tiered credentialing program for sleep professionals leading to the RPSGT credential.
On December 17, 2010 -- barely nine months after the CPSGT exam was introduced -- we received a letter from the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) informing us that the AASM Board had voted to develop its own certification exam for sleep technologists to be administered through the ABSM. The letter reiterated the AASM concern that the RPSGT passing score is set too high. The letter went on to make two disturbing claims that reflect poorly on RPSGTs, noting that "sleep physicians who are medical directors of sleep centers have expressed concern that certification by the BRPT does not ensure professional readiness" and that "the BRPT examination does not test the basic knowledge necessary to perform sleep studies." We have asked specifically for data to support these assertions.
I am reaching out to you today because we fear the development of a new certification exam for sleep technologists, developed under the direction of a physician-led organization and with a stated goal of producing a high pass rate, will lead to two very different levels of professional credentialing in sleep technology. That development will be viewed by other medical and allied health professionals and state and federal regulators as reducing the high standards that have helped advance our profession.
I want to know your feelings about the development of a new certification exam for sleep technologists. I am asking you to reach out to BRPT with your thoughts. This link will take you directly to the BRPT Credential Holders Message Board. Please create a username and password to join the discussion. Click on this link to review the letter forwarded to BRPT by the ABSM and to read the BRPT response. I urge you to join this conversation and be heard on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Janice East, RPSGT, R. EEG T. President
January 19, 2011
To my fellow BRPT credential holders:
We have been notified that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has decided to develop a certification exam for sleep technologists, and I believe that decision will concern you as much as it concerns me. AASM has been very clear: a primary goal is to produce a test that will be easier to pass.
The RPSGT credential earned from the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) is not only a confirmation of hard work and commitment to our profession. The RPSGT exam, accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), represents the gold standard in our profession and supports and sustains the professional standing we enjoy with state and federal regulators, under reimbursement guidelines for Medicare and Medicaid, and within the broader allied health community. More than 17,000 sleep technologists have earned the RPSGT credential since the RPSGT exam was introduced 32 years ago.
We have been working closely over the past three years with AASM to address AASM's concern that too few technologists are passing the RPSGT exam, resulting in an unmet demand for new certified technologists. In fact, we invested over $100,000 to launch the Certified Polysomnographic Technician (CPSGT) exam last year in response to a direct request from the AASM leadership. The CPSGT exam was developed in close collaboration with representatives of both AASM and the American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST) and was positioned as the first step in a tiered credentialing program for sleep professionals leading to the RPSGT credential.
On December 17, 2010 -- barely nine months after the CPSGT exam was introduced -- we received a letter from the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) informing us that the AASM Board had voted to develop its own certification exam for sleep technologists to be administered through the ABSM. The letter reiterated the AASM concern that the RPSGT passing score is set too high. The letter went on to make two disturbing claims that reflect poorly on RPSGTs, noting that "sleep physicians who are medical directors of sleep centers have expressed concern that certification by the BRPT does not ensure professional readiness" and that "the BRPT examination does not test the basic knowledge necessary to perform sleep studies." We have asked specifically for data to support these assertions.
I am reaching out to you today because we fear the development of a new certification exam for sleep technologists, developed under the direction of a physician-led organization and with a stated goal of producing a high pass rate, will lead to two very different levels of professional credentialing in sleep technology. That development will be viewed by other medical and allied health professionals and state and federal regulators as reducing the high standards that have helped advance our profession.
I want to know your feelings about the development of a new certification exam for sleep technologists. I am asking you to reach out to BRPT with your thoughts. This link will take you directly to the BRPT Credential Holders Message Board. Please create a username and password to join the discussion. Click on this link to review the letter forwarded to BRPT by the ABSM and to read the BRPT response. I urge you to join this conversation and be heard on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Janice East, RPSGT, R. EEG T. President
