Objective
Sleep medicine is a multidisciplinary field that includes otolaryngology. After 2011, sleep medicine board eligibility required completion of a dedicated sleep medicine fellowship. The objective of our study is to describe the characteristics and geographic distribution of the dual board-certified sleep otolaryngology workforce and to assess the impact of the 2011 change.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis of sleep-certified otolaryngologists registered with the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in 2019 was performed to characterize the sleep otolaryngology workforce. County and regional analysis of provider density was conducted by comparing provider characteristics with county-level data from the United States Census Bureau.
Results
There were 275 active dual board-certified sleep otolaryngologists, or approximately 1 for every 1.12 million Americans. 77.8% were in private practice and 2.9% had American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology membership. Eighty-eight percent were male, with females more likely than males to be in an academic setting (36.4% for females compared to 20.2% for males; P = .045). The South Atlantic and South Central regions had the highest number of sleep board-certified otolaryngologists per capita. Before 2011, an average of 75.7 otolaryngologists took the sleep board exam per 2-year cycle, compared to 14.3 otolaryngologists after 2011 (P = .029).
Conclusion
There are few dual board-certified sleep otolaryngologists across the country, which may affect care for patients with sleep-disordered breathing. Increased resident exposure and otolaryngology training in sleep medicine can strengthen the otolaryngology contribution to the multidisciplinary care of these patients.
Level of Evidence
IV Laryngoscope, 2021
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