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The present paper describes standardised operating procedures (SOP) within clinical sleep medicine. As such, it is a continuation of the previously published European Guidelines for the Accreditation of Sleep Medicine Centres (SMC) and European Guidelines for the Certification of Professionals in Sleep Medicine, aimed at creating standards of practice in European sleep medicine. It is also part of a broader action plan of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS). In an updated section, the cost-effectiveness of sleep medicine and its relevance for resource allocation of general health care is emphasized. The following section of this paper is the translation of the guideline of the ESRS into German language: Fischer J, Dogas Z, Bassetti CL et al. (2012) Standard procedures for adults in accredited sleep medicine centres in Europe. J Sleep Res 2012; 21:357-368. In the current paper, the SOPs in sleep medicine centres regarding the diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients evaluated at SMC, accredited according to the European Guidelines, are primarily based on prevailing evidence-based medicine principles. In addition, parts of the SOPs are based on a formalized consensus procedure applied by a group of Sleep Medicine Experts from the European National Sleep Societies (ANSS). For the workload of the professionals in different SOPs, consensus was also achieved. The final recommendations for SOPs are categorized either as 'standard practice', 'procedure that could be useful', 'procedure that is not useful' or 'procedure with insufficient information available'. The SOPs described here include both subjective and objective testing, as well as recommendations for follow-up visits and for ensuring patient-safety in sleep medicine. The overall goal of the current SOPs is the further development of excellence in practice and quality assurance of sleep medicine in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]