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