Director 
Faculty

Research Faculty

Fellow

  • Samora Cotterell, MD
  • Ashwin Mehta, MD
  • Christine Pierre, MD
  • Eric Shakespeare, MD
Collaborations Clinical Staff
  • Guido Arguello, RPSGT
  • John Rojas, RPSGT
  • Rafael Sepulveda, CRT

Sleep Medicine

The mission of the University of Miami Sleep Program is to provide expert evaluation and comprehensive treatment of sleep disorders, to develop an outstanding research program  and to serve as the leading resource for professional and technologist training in sleep medicine for South Florida. Clinical services are delivered by a multidisciplinary team of specialists and technologists working at the University of Miami facility, which is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep as a comprehensive sleep center .

Services Provided:

Clinics

  • Adult Sleep Clinics:  The Adult sleep medicine clinics at the University of Miami are staffed by board-certified specialists in sleep medicine, pulmonary, psychology, psychiatry and neurology.  Our specialists treat a wide range of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, restless leg syndrome/periodic limb movement disorder and circadian rhythm abnormalities.  Our CPAP clinic is staffed by  respiratory therapists that assist patients with the initiation and troubleshooting of positive airway pressure equipment use for the treatment of sleep apnea . We partner with our colleagues in otolaryngology and oral maxillofacial surgery to offer patients surgical options for the treatment of sleep apnea.  We also offer comprehensive evaluations in conjunction with the epilepsy program at the university for sleep-related behaviors. An onsite  behavioral sleep clinic is being established in the near future.
  • Pediatric Sleep Clinic: The University of Miami Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic offers evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders for infants, children and adolescents. The clinic and associated laboratories are staffed by an interdisciplinary team of board-certified pediatric pulmonary physician and sleep specialist, fellows, a nurse practitioner, nurses, respiratory therapists, and registered polysomnographic technologists with experience in pediatric sleep recording.
    Staff members utilize the sleep laboratory facilities at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University for sleep disorders and for therapeutic interventions, including CPAP and BiPAP. Pulmonary diagnostic testing facilities are also available to help in the assessment of children with lung disorders complicated by sleep abnormalities
  • CPAP Services: We have a CPAP clinic staffed by certified technologists where patients recieve trainning and troubleshooting on the use of CPAP equipment in order to optimize patients successful use of CPAP for the treatment of sleep apnea.
  • Behavioral Sleep Medicine: Clinics for the comprehensive treatment of insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders are planned for 2009.

Laboratory Services

The University of Miami sleep laboratory is an accredited four-bed diagnostic testing facility located at the University of Miami Medical Campus at the Civic Center, where sleep studies are conducted on an outpatient basis. Each of the rooms has a private bathroom, thermostat and cable television. Sleep studies are performed 7 nights/days of the week for patient convenience. Parents of children and adolescents having sleep studies are accomodated with a sleeper recliner in the testing bedroom where their children are having testing. Infants are recorded in a crib with the parent sleeping on the bed or in the recliner in the same room.
We are located on the second floor of the National Parkinson’s Foundation Building located at University of Miami Medical Campus, 1501 NW 9th Avenue.
Parking is available behind the building.

Education

  • A-Step technologist training: The sleep disorders center offer training for sleep techncicians and is currently seeking accreditation through the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as an A-Step technologist training program. Please contact Guido Arguello at 305-243-5195 for more details.
  • Sleep fellowship training program: The University of Miami along with the VA Medical Center, is affiliated with the Jackson Memorial Hospital sleep fellowship training program. The program was accredited by the ACGME in 2008. Please contact  Violeta Maldonado at 305-243-3902 for moreinformation

Faculty Clinical Research Focus:

  • Robson Capasso, MD - insomnia and sleep disorders among children
  • Dalia Lorenzo, MD- sleep related hypoxia, REM behavior disorder, perioperative sleep apnea.
  • Bruce Nolan, MD, FACP, FAASM – Clinical sleep medicine, sleep apnea, post traumatic stress disorder.
  • Alberto Ramos, MD- sleep apnea and stroke, MRI changes in patients sleep apnea and stroke
  • Shirin Shafazand, MD, MS postoperative outcomes among patients with sleep apnea
  • Shahriar Shahzeidi, MD- Cystic fibrosis and Sleep Disorders
  • Douglas Wallace, MD- sleep issues among patients with prior traumatic brain injury, REM behavior disorder
  • William K. Wohlgemuth, PhD- insomnia, effects of disordered sleep on health outcomes among medical populations.

Links and Publications:

 

Directions 

University of Miami Sleep Disorders Center
1501 NW 9th Avenue 2nd floor
[Parkinson's Foundation building]
Miami, Fl 33136
Parking is available at the rear of the building.

Click here to view directions and a map

Contact phone number: (305) 243-5195- ask for Maria Chavez or Liz Primus
Fax number: (305) 243-5304

Clinic Days and Hours:
Monday - Friday from 9 am - 5 pm
Sleep studies are performed 7 nights/days of the week for patient convenience.
Parents of children having sleep studies are accomodated in the testing bedroom where their children are having testing.