“Quality Respiratory Care
Recognition” Means First Rate Respiratory Care
As a respiratory patient
you know you deserve the very best in respiratory care services.
But how can you tell if that’s what you’re getting?The American Association
for Respiratory Care (AARC) is here to help. The hospitals
and home care companies receiving
the Association’s Quality Respiratory Care Recognition
(QRCR) designation meet strict safety and quality standards
related to the provision of respiratory care services by qualified
respiratory therapists.Requirements for hospitals:
-
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
is designated in writing.
-
A doctor of medicine
or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory
care services.
Requirements for home care companies:
- All respiratory therapists employed by the
DME/Home Health Agency to deliver home respiratory therapy services
are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide
respiratory therapy services or hold the CRT or RRT credential.
- Respiratory therapists are available to patients
24 hours every day.
- Other personnel qualified to perform specific
respiratory therapy procedures, and the amount of supervision
required for them to perform these specific procedures, must be
designated in writing.
- The DME/Home Health Agency must be accredited
by a nationally recognized, third party accreditation organization.
QRCR designation is renewed
on an annual basis, and hospitals and home care companies all
across the country are now being asked to enroll or recertify
their participation. So be sure to inquire whether your health
care facilities qualify and, if not, direct them to the AARC
web site for information on how they can participate
in the program.
Last Update: February 2013
