By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care, quality and safety, the North Texas Sleep Lab has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™. North Texas Sleep Lab, directed by Hisham Bismar, M.D., is the only sleep center in Johnson County to achieve accreditation by The Joint Commission.
To achieve accreditation, The Joint Commission completes an on-site assessment of the facility and the equipment. The inspector also reviews policies and records regarding patient care, infection control, medication management, risk management, record keeping, training and certification of employees, quality control, and emergency preparedness.
“Achieving accreditation demonstrates that the North Texas Sleep Lab has voluntarily sought an independent evaluation of its compliance with state-of-the-art performance standards,” says Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission.
Located two floors above the Huguley Emergency Department, the North Texas Sleep Lab features three hotel-style patient rooms plus two rooms equipped with hospital beds. Dr. Bismar’s staff of fourteen enables the North Texas Sleep Lab to operate seven days a week.
As patients sleep in the clinic, their heart, lung, brain, breathing and movement are monitored to diagnose sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and other sleep-related disorders. Untreated sleep disorders can contribute to high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, congestive heart failure, heart attack, uncontrolled blood sugar, depression, severe fatigue and stroke.
Board-certified in pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine and internal medicine, Dr. Bismar joined the medical staff of Huguley Memorial Medical Center in 1993. He completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, and he has special training in sleep-related respiratory disorders and occupational lung disorders.
“We sought accreditation for our sleep lab because we want to be the best,” says Dr. Bismar. “We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as a demonstration of our commitment to our patient’s safety and quality care.”