Two Lafayette General Health Facilities Earn Quality Respiratory Care Recognition

Both University Hospital & Clinics (UHC) and Lafayette General Medical Center (LGMC) have earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals.

About 700 hospitals, or approximately 15%, of all hospitals in the United States applied for and received this award. UHC and LGMC are the only two hospitals in Acadiana who earned QRCR status.

LGH’s 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 and other lung or lung-related conditions. They also care for premature infants and are key members of lifesaving response teams charged with handling medical emergencies.

The QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003 to help consumers identify those facilities using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.

To qualify for the recognition, UHC and LGMC provided documentation showing they each meet 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.
• 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 circumstance under which this practice is permitted is defined by policy.
• Use of a process that periodically compares performance of the respiratory department on efficiency and quality metrics with similar departments for the purpose of identifying and achieving best practices.

The AARC’s QRCR program grew out of increasing concerns among health care leaders and the general public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standards and guidelines and should be commended for their commitment to quality care. A list of QRCR hospitals is maintained at the association’s website for consumers, YourLungHealth.org.

The AARC is a members’ organization representing more than 50,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.