Sleep Disorders Services (SDS)

Accreditation to SDS is in accordance with the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) Standard. The program is open to all types of sleep services and covers administrative support, clinical management services, diagnostic studies and treatment studies.

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SDS accreditation

The SDS program is applicable to healthcare organisations that evaluate patients to identify sleep disorders and the management of patients diagnosed with these disorders.

Achieving accreditation is evidence the service has demonstrated its competence area and its commitment to patient-centred care.

The program is overseen by NATA’s Sleep Disorders Services Accreditation Advisory Committee (SDSAAC). The role of the SDSAAC includes professional/technical guidance together with strategic planning and administrative support for the management of the program.

The importance of SDS accreditation

SDS accreditation allows sleep services to demonstrate technical competence in all study types offered as well as quality measures that mitigate risk and promote improvement.

Accreditation provides a commitment to the highest level of patient care for people with sleep disorders. To meet these levels of care, NATA has adopted the ASA Standard for SDS as the criteria for accreditation.

The Standard covers both managerial and technical requirements and includes the principles from the international standard ISO 15189 Medical Laboratories – requirements for quality and competence.

The adoption of the ISO 15189 Standard to the ASA Standard raises accreditation to an internationally recognised level. The ASA is responsible for maintaining the Standard and NATA is responsible for the conduct and administration of the accreditation program.

SDS accreditation benefits

The benefits include:

  • Providing high quality care to patients with sleep disorders
  • Providing objective, independent attestation that the sleep service is competent to carry out studies in accordance with the ASA Standard for Sleep Disorders Services 
  • Building the sleep service’s and organisation’s credibility 
  • Providing improved outcomes through independent assessments against professionally recognised standards
  • Building confidence for patients and referrers that the sleep service can produce reliable data on which to make patient management decisions 
  • Increased staff satisfaction 
  • Providing a competitive advantage by recognition as a high-quality service

SDS compliance

NATA accredited sleep services are required to continue to comply with all accreditation criteria for the SDS accreditation program.

To ensure continued compliance with the criteria, scheduled assessments are arranged which include an on-line reporting of key requirements of the ASA Standard and uploading of documentation at 24 months followed by an on-site reassessment at 48 months.

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FAQs

The Standard for SDS has been developed by the ASA with the support of NATA and covers both managerial and technical requirements. The Standard contains a set of minimum standards to support the delivery of high-quality sleep disorders services to patients.

The Standard also provides a framework for continuous quality improvement and providing services and care to people with sleep disorders.

A sleep service may offer services at another site (a ‘branch’ service) located away from the accredited site (‘parent’ site). This branch site may be recognised under the accreditation of the parent site if the criteria detailed in the Specific Accreditation Criteria: Sleep Disorders Services – Accreditation of ‘Branch’ Services are satisfied

The NATA Accreditation Criteria (NAC) packages are made up of numerous documents which are available for download.

There are General Accreditation Criteria which apply to all facilities, and Specific Accreditation Criteria tailored for industry sectors and activities.

  1. General NATA Documents
  2. General Accreditation Criteria
  3. Specific Accreditation Criteria

General Accreditation Guidance and Specific Accreditation Guidance documents present information on common technical or operational issues.

  1. General Accreditation Guidance
  2. Specific Accreditation Guidance
  3. General Accreditation Forms

SDS NATA Accreditation Criteria (NAC) Package

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Benefits of being a NATA accredited organisation

NATA accredits organisations to perform testing and inspection activities for their products and services. This gives consumers the assurance they need to make safe, healthy and reliable choices. When you choose to become NATA accredited, you can be sure of a number of competitive advantages for your business.
Assurance
NATA members receive a globally-recognised, peer-reviewed and government endorsed accreditation that provides a unique level of assurance to members, their clients and the community.
Competence
Our accreditation provides an independent benchmark for technical competence. Receiving NATA accreditation demonstrates to customers your organisation’s commitment to quality, safety and reliability of products and services.
Recognition
NATA accreditation is both nationally and internationally recognised. This provides a competitive advantage when compared to non-accredited organisations and ensures you are market-ready to capitalise on trade opportunities.
Training
NATA has been training individuals and teams both nationally and internationally for over 20 years and enjoys a global reputation for the quality of its courses and programs. Our active role in international accreditation education has seen us conduct training in over 20 countries.
International
NATA’s long standing and active involvement with international groups enables our members to gain international recognition for their accreditation and minimises the need for multiple assessments from different suppliers.
Innovation
NATA provides innovative and timely business solutions that meet the needs of our members and fulfil the expectations of the community. We have the experience and resources to ensure your accreditation provides you and your organisation with unique advantages.