Holy
Rosary Medical Center has 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 out of 5,000 or approximately 15% of hospitals in
the United States have applied for and received this award. Holy
Rosary Medical Center has earned this distinguished recognition
every year since
2003 when the program began.
The QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory
Care (AARC) 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, Holy Rosary Medical Center provided
documentation 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’s QRCR program grew out of growing 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 ARCR requirements provide a level or 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.
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 or lung-related conditions. They also care
for premature infants and are key members of lifesaving response
teams charged with handling medical emergencies.
The AARC
is a membership organization representing more than 46,000
health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.
