• The field of Sleep Medicine is experiencing explosive growth and demand, with clear evidence of the benefits of good sleep.

• The supply of new Sleep Medicine Physicians is going to plummet after 2011 because 2011 is the final year of eligibility (after meeting criteria) for non-Fellowship physicians to take Sleep Boards.

• PAs and NPs already play an increasingly important role in providing healthcare, diagnosing and managing patients' medical disorders.

• There are now the means for PAs and NPs to gain in-depth Sleep Medicine expertise, which is needed  in the face of greater demand regarding sleep disorders.

• Based on the growth of the field of Sleep Medicine (and mirrored by the growth of Sleep Centers), the increasing role that sleep disorders play in life quality (school, work),  preventive medicine (such as weight maintenance, activity level), and their effects on medical and psychiatric conditions- all reinforce the need for a steady increase in number of clinicians specializing in Sleep Medicine, as well as increased demand for incorporating screening, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders in primary care and specialty medicine practices.

The Role of NPs and PAs in Sleep Medicine. Michael Lacey, MD, interviews Cecile Jones, NP, about her role as an Nurse Practitioner in a Sleep Medicine Practice.

Michael Lacey, MD, is the Medical Director of The Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and the Course Director for the school's 2-day course, "Sleep Medicine for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants."