LUMBERTON — Southeastern Health has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition.
“This recognition shows that our respiratory therapists are providing high-quality care to our patients and we are thrilled that they are receiving accolades for their continued hard work,” said Anita Thurman, a family nurse practitioner who serves as director of critical care services for Southeastern Health.
The QRCR program was founded by the American Association for Respiratory Care in 2003 to help consumers identify facilities using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals that earn the QRCR designation agree to adhere to set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.
Respiratory therapists are specially trained health care professionals who work under a 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 or lung-related conditions. This also includes premature infant response teams.
To qualify for the recognition, Southeastern Regional Medical Center provided documentation showing that 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 are designated in writing.
— A doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services.
— 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.
— A process is used that periodically compares performance of the respiratory department on efficiency and quality metrics with similar departments.
The American Association for Respiratory Care represents more than 50,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.
