Kingwood Medical Center’s facility for the diagnosis of sleep disorders has received accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Known as the Sleep Center of Excellence, the facility is led by technical director Jim Wall and medical director Dr. Wendell Grogan at the center, 22999 U.S. 59 in Kingwood.

To receive accreditation, the sleep center had to meet the academy’s standards during inspections of its facility and interviews with staff, including a review of testing procedures, interaction with patients and doctor training.

Wall said the designation will not change the way the center operates, but said it provided a goal to strive for and will serve as a benchmark for patients’ confidence in their care.

“We are assuring them that we are operating at the highest possible standard, that no shortcuts are being taken,” Wall said.

Opened in August 2005, the sleep center consists of two bedrooms and a monitoring room. More than 40 million Americans suffer from some type of sleep disorder, according to a hospital release.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a professional society for clinicians, researchers and others in the field of sleep medicine, currently accredits more than 1,800 sleep medicine centers and laboratories nationwide.