March 03, 2009
Carle Foundation Hospital Earns Quality Respiratory Care Recognition in National Program
Carle FoundationHospital has earnedQuality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed athelping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of therespiratory care services available in hospitals.
About 700 hospitals, orapproximately 15% of hospitals in the United States, have applied for andreceived this award.
The QRCR program was started by theAmerican Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003 to help consumersidentify those facilities using qualified respiratory therapists to providerespiratory care.
Hospitals that earn the QRCRdesignation provide a level of respiratory care consistent with nationalstandards and guidelines. They also ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhereto a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.
Respiratory therapists arespecially trained health care professionals who work under physicians' ordersto provide a wide range of breathing treatments to patients with lung-relatedconditions. The average therapist in Carle's Respiratory Care department has 10years experience in the field of Respiratory Therapy. They provide routinerespiratory care throughout all hospital units and are also very involved in ourlevel I trauma program and level III center for perinatal care.
To qualify for this recognition, Carle FoundationHospital provideddocumentation showing it meets the following conditions:
- All respiratory therapists employed by the Hospital to deliver bedside respiratory care services are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the CRT or RRT credential.
- Respiratory therapists are available 24 hours
- Other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures must be designated in writing.
- A doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services.
The AARC is a membershiporganization representing more than 46,000 health professionals involved in respiratorycare nationwide.