Raman Malhotra, MD, became the 36th president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine board of directors. Malhotra will serve a one-year term as president of the AASM.
Malhotra will lead an organization that has a combined membership of 11,000 accredited member sleep centers and individual members, including physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who provide care for patients with sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and chronic insomnia. Under his leadership, the AASM will refine current strategies and develop new tactics to achieve strategic goals related to public awareness, technology innovation, workforce development, and advocacy for patients and sleep medicine professionals.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to lead the AASM, and I am grateful to serve alongside such dedicated and talented colleagues on the board of directors,” says Malhotra, who has served on the AASM board of directors since 2015, in a release. “I’m excited about the year ahead, and I believe that we will make great progress as we work together with our members to continue advancing sleep care and enhancing sleep health to improve lives.”
As president, one of Malhotra’s priorities will be to give patients a greater voice within the AASM by leading a new Patient Advocacy Roundtable comprising representatives from patient organizations that help people who have sleep disorders. Together, the roundtable members will engage with the AASM to advocate for patient-centered policies and regulations, raise awareness that sleep is essential to health, and provide education for patients, health care professionals, and the public.
“A core value of the AASM is to be patient-centered, and I am passionate about supporting the organizations that are doing amazing work on behalf of patients who have sleep disorders,” Malhotra says. “We will strive to support and empower these groups while giving them greater opportunities to bring the patient’s perspective to AASM projects and activities.”
Malhotra is an associate professor in the department of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. After completing his medical education at the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine, he completed a residency in neurology and a fellowship in sleep medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. He is board-certified in sleep medicine and neurology by the American Board of psychiatry and neurology.
