Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation Blog

December 1, 2025

RLS Foundation Certifies Thomas Jefferson University Hospital as a QCC

As an RLS Quality Care Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is certified to provide expert care to patients with restless legs syndrome, a chronic neurological sleep disorder.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, August 15, 2025 – The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Foundation announces it has certified Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) as an RLS Quality Care Center.

An estimated 2%-3% of adults need daily clinical treatment for RLS, a chronic neurological disease that disrupts sleep and can have a devastating impact on overall quality of life. As an RLS Quality Care Center, TJUH will serve as a destination for RLS patients who need expert medical care.

“We are honored to be designated as a Quality Care Center by the RLS Foundation,” says Zhikui Wei, MD, PhD, director of the Quality Care Center at TJUH. “This recognition reflects our commitment to providing comprehensive, evidence-based care for individuals with RLS. Our team has particular expertise in managing complex cases, including augmentation, iron deficiency associated with RLS and refractory RLS that do not respond to first-line therapies,” he adds.

TJUH joins a network of 15 other institutions in the US and Europe that are certified by the RLS Foundation as Quality Care Centers. Through this program, the Foundation aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease worldwide.

RLS Quality Care Centers:

• Provide expert care to RLS patients
• Serve as information and referral resources for healthcare providers who treat patients with RLS and regional support groups
• Support patients and families through educational offerings and literature
• Share information with other centers to improve clinical best practices
• Partner with the RLS Foundation on quality improvement projects to raise the standard of care for RLS patients everywhere

“We are pleased to welcome TJUH to the RLS Foundation Quality Care Center network,” says RLS Foundation Executive Director Karla Dzienkowski. “Individuals with moderate to severe RLS face significant challenges in managing symptoms and finding experienced healthcare providers who are skilled in designing effective treatment plans. The goal of care at a QCC is to improve overall quality of life.”

Dzienkowski adds, “The RLS Quality Care Center network promotes access to healthcare providers with expertise in RLS management. We look forward to our partnership with TJUH to advance the quality of care for RLS patients.”

The contact information for USC is listed on the RLS Foundation website. Other certified RLS Quality Care Centers are:

• Johns Hopkins Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine
• Houston Methodist Neurological Institute
• Stanford Sleep Medicine Center
• Emory Sleep Center
• Yale Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center
• Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland
• Innsbruck Medical University
• Massachusetts General
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Virginia at Charlottesville
• Barrow Neurological Institute

To learn more about the RLS Quality Care Center Program, visit www.rls.org/quality-care-centers.

About the RLS Foundation

The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of all who live with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Founded in 1992, the Foundation’s goals are to increase awareness, improve treatments and advance research to find a cure. The Foundation serves healthcare providers, researchers, over 6,000 members, and an estimated 12 million individuals in the United States who have the disease. The Foundation’s Research Grant Program has awarded over $2 million in funding for medical research on RLS causes and treatments. For more information, visit www.rls.org.

CONTACT
Adrianna Colucci
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
adrianna@rls.org
512-366-9109

August 15, 2025

RLS Foundation Certifies University of Southern California as a QCC

As an RLS Quality Care Center, the University of Southern California is certified to provide expert care to patients with restless legs syndrome, a chronic neurological sleep disorder.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, August 15, 2025 – The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Foundation announces it has certified the University of Southern California (USC) as an RLS Quality Care Center.

An estimated 2%-3% of adults need daily clinical treatment for RLS, a chronic neurological disease that disrupts sleep and can have a devastating impact on overall quality of life. As an RLS Quality Care Center, USC will serve as a destination for RLS patients who need expert medical care.

“We are honored to receive designation as a Quality Care Center,” says Tammy Wong, MD, interim medical director of the Quality Care Center at USC. “As an RLS Quality Care Center, we aim to enhance our patients' quality of life by controlling RLS symptoms, improving sleep quality and providing RLS education to patients, families and the community,” says Dr. Denise Sharon, clinical assistant professor at USC and RLS Foundation Scientific and Medical Advisory Board member who has been caring for RLS patients for over 25 years.

USC joins a network of 14 other institutions in the US and Europe that are certified by the RLS Foundation as Quality Care Centers. Through this program, the Foundation aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease worldwide.

RLS Quality Care Centers:

• Provide expert care to RLS patients
• Serve as information and referral resources for healthcare providers who treat patients with RLS and regional support groups
• Support patients and families through educational offerings and literature
• Share information with other centers to improve clinical best practices
• Partner with the RLS Foundation on quality improvement projects to raise the standard of care for RLS patients everywhere

“We are pleased to welcome USC to the RLS Foundation Quality Care Center network,” says RLS Foundation Executive Director Karla Dzienkowski. “People with moderate to severe RLS face significant challenges in symptom management. Access to highly skilled and experienced healthcare providers is essential to effective treatment and improvement in quality of life.”

Dzienkowski adds, “The goal of the Quality Care Center network is to provide RLS patients access to healthcare providers with expertise in RLS management. We look forward to partnership with USC to advance the quality of care for RLS patients.”

The contact information for USC is listed on the RLS Foundation website. Other certified RLS Quality Care Centers are:

• Johns Hopkins Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine
• Houston Methodist Neurological Institute
• Stanford Sleep Medicine Center
• Emory Sleep Center
• Yale Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center
• Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland
• Innsbruck Medical University
• Massachusetts General
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Virginia at Charlottesville
• Barrow Neurological Institute

To learn more about the RLS Quality Care Center Program, visit www.rls.org/quality-care-centers.

About the RLS Foundation

The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of all who live with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Founded in 1992, the Foundation’s goals are to increase awareness, improve treatments and advance research to find a cure. The Foundation serves healthcare providers, researchers, over 6,000 members, and an estimated 12 million individuals in the United States who have the disease. The Foundation’s Research Grant Program has awarded over $2 million in funding for medical research on RLS causes and treatments. For more information, visit www.rls.org.

CONTACT
Adrianna Colucci
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
adrianna@rls.org
512-366-9109

August 15, 2025

RLS Foundation Certifies Barrow Neurological Institute as a QCC

As an RLS Quality Care Center, Barrow Neurological Institute is certified to provide expert care to patients with restless legs syndrome, a chronic neurological sleep disorder.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, August 15, 2025 – The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Foundation announces it has certified Barrow Neurological Institute as an RLS Quality Care Center.

An estimated 2%-3% of adults need daily clinical treatment for RLS, a chronic neurological disease that disrupts sleep and can have a devastating impact on overall quality of life. As an RLS Quality Care Center, Barrow will serve as a destination for RLS patients who need expert medical care.

“We are proud to be recognized with this esteemed designation,” says Nicki Niemann, MD, director of the Quality Care Center at Barrow. “We’re honored to be recognized as an RLS Quality Care Center and excited to bring national attention to the critical needs of this patient population. By uniting Barrow’s expertise in sleep medicine and movement disorders, we’re uniquely positioned to provide innovative, patient-centered care for even the most complex RLS cases. Through this partnership with the RLS Foundation, we hope to advance clinical standards, expand access to expert care in the Southwest and inspire a new level of understanding for a condition that is too often overlooked,” says Dr. Neimann.

Barrow joins a network of 14 other institutions in the US and Europe that are certified by the RLS Foundation as Quality Care Centers. Through this program, the Foundation aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease worldwide.

RLS Quality Care Centers:

• Provide expert care to RLS patients
• Serve as information and referral resources for healthcare providers who treat patients with RLS and regional support groups
• Support patients and families through educational offerings and literature
• Share information with other centers to improve clinical best practices
• Partner with the RLS Foundation on quality improvement projects to raise the standard of care for RLS patients everywhere

“We are delighted to welcome Barrow to the RLS Foundation Quality Care Center network,” says RLS Foundation Executive Director Karla Dzienkowski. “Individuals with RLS in the Southwestern part of the United States face significant challenges in finding healthcare providers who can manage moderate to severe forms of RLS. Barrow Neurological Institute provides access to knowledgeable and skilled healthcare providers who can provide personalized treatment plans to improve quality of life for those living with RLS.”

Dzienkowski adds, “The goal of the Quality Care Center network is to provide RLS patients access to healthcare providers proficient in RLS management. We look forward to our partnership with Barrow Neurological Institute to provide treatment access, management and quality of life improvement for RLS patients.”

Contact information for Barrow Neurological Institute is listed on the RLS Foundation website. Other certified RLS Quality Care Centers are:

• Johns Hopkins Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine
• Houston Methodist Neurological Institute
• Stanford Sleep Medicine Center
• Emory Sleep Center
• Yale Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center
• Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland
• Innsbruck Medical University
• Massachusetts General
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Virginia at Charlottesville
• University of Southern California

To learn more about the RLS Quality Care Center Program, visit www.rls.org/quality-care-centers.

About the RLS Foundation

The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of all who live with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Founded in 1992, the Foundation’s goals are to increase awareness, improve treatments and advance research to find a cure. The Foundation serves healthcare providers, researchers, over 6,000 members, and an estimated 12 million individuals in the United States who have the disease. The Foundation’s Research Grant Program has awarded over $2 million in funding for medical research on RLS causes and treatments. For more information, visit www.rls.org.

CONTACT
Adrianna Colucci
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
adrianna@rls.org
512-366-9109

February 21, 2022

RLS Foundation Certifies UPMC as Quality Care Center

The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Foundation announces it has certified the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pittsburgh as an RLS Quality Care Center.

As an RLS Quality Care Center, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is certified to provide expert care to patients who have restless legs syndrome, a chronic neurological sleep disorder.

An estimated 2% to 3% of adults need daily clinical treatment for RLS, a chronic neurological disease that disrupts sleep and can have a devastating impact on quality of life. As an RLS Quality Care Center, UPMC will serve as a destination for RLS patients who need expert medical care.

“We are honored to receive this designation,” says Avinash Aggarwal, MD, director of the Quality Care Center at UPMC. “Our goal is to provide the best and most comprehensive care for patients who have RLS. Designation as an RLS Quality Care Center certifies that we adhere to the highest standards of care and will identify us as having expertise to treat RLS at all levels of severity. We are particularly proud to be the first in our region to receive this designation.”

UPMC joins a network of 11 institutions in the US and Europe that are certified by the RLS Foundation as Quality Care Centers. Through this program, the Foundation aims to improve diagnosis and treatment of the disease worldwide.

RLS Quality Care Centers:

• Provide expert care to RLS patients
• Serve as information and referral resources for regional support groups and for healthcare providers who treat patients with RLS
• Support patients and families through educational offerings and literature
• Share information with other centers to improve clinical best practices
• Partner with the RLS Foundation on quality improvement projects to raise the standard of care for RLS patients everywhere

“We are pleased to welcome UPMC into the Quality Care Center network,” says RLS Foundation Executive Director Karla Dzienkowski. “People with moderate to severe RLS face many challenges in managing their symptoms. Having access to healthcare providers who are highly skilled and experienced in treating RLS is essential for patients to get adequate treatment and improve their quality of life.” Dzienkowski adds, “Our goal is to help RLS patients find healthcare providers with expertise in disease management at a Quality Care Center. We look forward to our work in partnership with UPMC to advance the quality of care for RLS patients.”

Other certified RLS Quality Care Centers are:

• Johns Hopkins Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine
• Houston Methodist Neurological Institute
• Stanford Sleep Medicine Center
• Emory Sleep Center
• Yale Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center
• Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland
• Innsbruck Medical University

To learn more about the RLS Quality Care Center Program, visit www.rls.org/quality-care-program.

Providing RLS Care in Southern Switzerland

Mauro Manconi, MD, PhD, a current member of the Foundation's Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, has devoted much of his career to sleep medicine. In 2016 he partnered with the RLS Foundation as director of the second European RLS Quality Care Center (QCC), the Sleep Center at the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland.

"The fact that an international organization certified Sleep Center at the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland is of great satisfaction to us," Manconi said. "It is an important recognition that comes at the end of a long period of clinical and research work by our team... This acknowledgment confirmed that we are on the right track and it further motivated us, but above all it explained to the general administration of our institute the importance of this disease and the need to face RLS with a competent and multidisciplinary team."

Manconi also teaches at the Master School of Medicine at Bern University, the Institute of Communication and Health at the Italian Swiss University of Lugano, as well as at the Professional University School of Italian Switzerland. His research focuses on sleep disorders, specifically sleep-related movement disorders like RLS and PLMS, and he currently serves on the Scientific Board of the European Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. At the RLS Foundation, Manconi is an active member of the Medical Bulletin Committee.

"The RLS Foundation QCC in Lugano, Switzerland offers individuals with RLS living in Europe a centrally located clinic with access to experts who are specialists in the care and management of individuals with restless legs syndrome," RLS Foundation Executive Director Karla Dzienkowski, RN, BSN, said. "Finding a knowledgeable provider is an important first step leading to symptom control and improved quality of life."

At the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, RLS patients receive a complete diagnostic pathway that begins with clinical and laboratory assessments, using the most sophisticated neuroimaging and video-polysomnographic instrumental examinations when needed. This allows for the certified RLS healthcare providers to rule out secondary RLS or other diseases that enter differential diagnosis along with RLS. At the Sleep Center, each patient receives an individualized therapy, including the management of other possible internist, neurological or psychiatric comorbidity that are periodically discussed by a local multidisciplinary team.

"The Center is always updated on the latest treatment available, participating in clinical trials and research in order to offer a large spectrum of assistance to our patients," Manconi said.

You can find more information on the Sleep Center at the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland below:

Sleep Center, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland

Civic Hospital of Lugano

Via Tesserete 46

Lugano, Switzerland 6900

Phone: 0041 (0)91 811 6825

Certified Healthcare Providers:

• Mauro Manconi, MD, PhD (QCC Director)
• Sylvia Miano, MD, PhD
• Stephany Fulda, PhD
• Pietro-Luca Ratti, MD, PhD

Tennessee's RLS Quality Care Center

The RLS Foundation offers a network of certified RLS Quality Care Centers (QCCs) around the U.S. and Europe. These QCCs are renowned for their outstanding performance in the field, and are staffed by leading RLS specialists who provide expert care and specialized disease management.

Among these Centers is Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Vanderbilt Sleep Disorders Center has won a Five Star Excellence Award four years in a row for scoring in the top 10 percent of clinics in the U.S. for patient satisfaction. The Center offers specialized care for sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, insomnia and other general sleep problems. At the helm of this RLS Quality Care Center is Arthur S. Walters, MD, serving as QCC Director.

Throughout his career, Dr. Walters has focused his research on sleep-related movement disorders. Additionally, as the founder and first chair of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG), he helped establish the universal clinical criteria for the diagnosis of RLS.

He also played an integral role in the history of the Foundation, going back as far as 1992 when the Foundation received its nonprofit status. Dr. Walters was a key player in establishing and validating the first scale to be used for the measurement of RLS severity, a scale that is now the most widely used for measuring RLS severity in both academic and industry sponsored studies. He is currently serving as chair of the Foundation's Pediatrics Committee, and is also a member of the Opiate Committee.

“Dr. Walters served as the first Chair of the Medical Advisory Board," Executive Director Karla Dzienkowski said. "Under his leadership, he set the scope and role the MAB would serve as an Advisory Board to the Board of Directors. We are thankful to Dr. Walters for his continued work with the organization, as well as fostering the growth of other clinicians and researchers in the RLS field.”

Other certified healthcare providers at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center include:

• Kanika Bagai, MSCI, MD
• Jennifer Hensley, EdD, CNM, WHNP, LCCE
• Beth Ann Malow, MS, MD
• Althea Robinson-Shelton, MD
• Raghu Pishka Upender, MD

Vanderbilt’s location in Nashville makes it accessible to individuals in various regions of the U.S. that are seeking expert care in the treatment of RLS. The Vanderbilt Quality Care Center has one of the largest staffs of certified healthcare providers in our QCC network, and they treat both children and adults living with RLS. To make an appointment, call 1-615-936-0060.

To achieve certification, Centers undergo review by the RLS Foundation's Scientific and Medical Advisory Board (SMAB), and must demonstrate a high level of expertise and experience treating restless legs syndrome. To learn more about the qualifications and how to apply, click here.

The 11th Addition to Our QCC Network

On Jan. 15 Massachusetts General Hospital was certified as an RLS Quality Care Center. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Mass Gen is a nationally-ranked teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School, as well as a biomedical research facility. According to U.S. News & World Report, the hospital is among the highest in the country for 16 adult and five pediatric specialties.


This brand new Quality Care Center is staffed with four certified RLS healthcare providers:

John W. Winkelman (Director) MD, PhD
Kenneth C. Sassower, MD
Aleksander Videnovic, MD, MSc, FAAN, FAASM
Matt Bianchi, MD, PhD

To make an appointment with one of these physicians, contact Massachusetts General at 617-724-7426. All QCC contact information is also listed on our website.

The RLS Foundation offers a network of certified RLS Quality Care Centers across the country and in Europe. Centers are staffed by leading RLS specialists who provide expert care and specialized disease management. Through education, sharing of best practices and quality improvement projects, the Quality Care Center Network aims to improve the quality of healthcare for all people living with RLS.

These QCCs are renowned for outstanding performance in the field. To achieve certification, Centers undergo review by the RLS Foundation Scientific and Medical Advisory Board and must demonstrate a high level of expertise and experience treating the disease. These Centers:

1. Are recognized as centers providing care to RLS patients by RLS experts

2. Serve as information and referral resources for regional support groups and for healthcare providers who treat patients with RLS

3. Promote understanding of the patient and family role in quality care improvement through educational offerings and literature

4. Share information with other Centers to improve clinical best practices

5. Partner with the RLS Foundation on quality improvement projects to raise the standard of care for RLS patients everywhere

Looking to join the network? Here’s how to apply.