Dr. Rosanne Barker is a nationally recognized leader in sleep medicine. Having practiced sleep medicine for more than 30 years, she is the most experienced sleep physician in East Tennessee. With locations in Knoxville and Sevierville, Barker Sleep Institute offers the most comprehensive outpatient sleep program in the Southeast.
Dr. Barker completed her undergraduate studies at Ball State University, earning her bachelor’s degree with honors in biology and chemistry. She went on to study medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine and completed her internship in internal medicine at Ball Hospital in Muncie, Indiana. During neurology residency at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., she served as the neurology chief resident.
Following her residency, Dr. Barker immediately entered into a fellowship in neurophysiology and sleep disorders at the University of Texas, Houston. In 1986, after moving to East Tennessee, she spearheaded the effort to open the largest sleep program in the Southeast with one of the most prominent health systems. Later, in 2007, she opened her private practices, Barker Sleep Institute, throughout East Tennessee. Dr. Barker continues to develop her sleep program by investing her own personal time and resources. Her mission and purpose is to offer her patients nothing less than the most excellent sleep treatment found anywhere. Dr. Barker is board certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine and is a fellow in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. She is a published author and editor, with articles appearing in USA Today, MD News, Sleep Talk, and additional publications. She has also appeared on a variety of nationally syndicated television shows and as a regular guest on NBC Affiliate WBIR-TV’s Style. She has served on several pharmaceutical company advisory boards and is actively contributing in research developments, particularly with oral appliances for treatment of sleep apnea.
In addition to overseeing both the Knoxville and Sevierville locations of the Barker Sleep Institute, Dr. Barker serves as the facilitator for three regional sleep disorder support groups, the East Tennessee Area CPAP Support Group, the East Tennessee Area Narcolepsy Support Group and the East Tennessee Area RLS Support Group.
