About Us
Mission & Vision
We are an active, energetic organization that endeavors to educate health professionals of the Commonwealth in the discipline of sleep medicine and seeks to improve the quality of life and health of Virginians through educational and advocacy efforts.
Our History
It all started in 2008...
The Virginia Academy of Sleep Medicine (VASM) became operational in late 2008 and now claims over 300 members, both physicians and allied sleep professionals. Robert D. Vorona, MD an Associate Professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia served as its first president.
When asked why it was important to create a specialty association, Vorona said, “There has been considerable research conducted into the causes of sleep problems and progress in treatments of sleep disorders. Although we continue to develop sophisticated ways to evaluate and treat many sleep disorders, the public’s awareness of this medical subspecialty is limited. We believe it is the right time to begin educating the public in Virginia about what can be done to treat sleep problems.”
The Academy was organized to operate for scientific and educational purposes, and act as a representative voice for sleep professionals in the State of Virginia.
The Academy’s purpose is to both educate clinicians and the public about the importance of sleep and sleep disorders and to improve the health of Virginians. The VASM has also been active at the political level, participated in state regulatory boards, and has held successful annual conferences for its members.
