And the hard work has paid off as the hospital recently earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and their families make informed decisions regarding the quality of respiratory care services available in hospitals.
According to a news release, the QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003. The program is geared toward helping consumers identify facilities that use qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Approximately 700 hospitals or 15 percent of hospitals in the United States have applied for the QRCR award.
The AARC’s QRCR program spanned from growing concerns among health care leaders and the public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Hospitals that earn the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.
PVH qualified for the recognition by providing the proper documentation, which showed that the hospital met the following conditions: all respiratory therapists employed by the hospital to deliver bedside respiratory procedures 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 a medical director of respiratory care services; and the hospital policy prohibits the routine delivery of medicated aerosol treatments utilizing small volume nebulizers, metered dose inhalers or intermittent positive pressure treatments to multiple patients simultaneously — circumstances under which this practice is permitted is defined by policy.
A list of QRCR hospitals is maintained on the association’s Web site, www.YourLungHealth.org.
According to a news release, respiratory therapists are specially trained health care professionals who work under physician’s orders to provide a wide range of breathing treatments and other services to people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, AIDS and other lung-related conditions. They also provide care to premature infants and are essential members of lifesaving response teams charged with handling emergency services.
The AARC is a membership organization representing more than 46,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.
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