AARC Congress 2013 Gazette for Saturday, November 16
Welcome to the largest respiratory care meeting in the world
Cheryl Hoerr MBA RRT FAARC, Program Committee Chair
Respiratory therapists are facing unprecedented challenges stemming from the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, not the least of which are new penalties for excessive COPD readmissions set to go into effect next October.
This week in Anaheim we’re proud to offer a program that’s been crafted with those challenges in mind. Whether you’re a bedside clinician, a department manager, an educator in an RT program or clinical site, or a researcher looking for the hottest topics to investigate, you’ll find what you’re looking for during the next 4 days.
This Gold Standard meeting in the respiratory care profession will feature:
- Hundreds of presentations on need-to-know information you can take back home and put to work in your facilities.
- The hottest advances in patient care and technology in an Exhibit Hall filled with all the manufacturers in the industry.
- Original research presented by and for RTs in 19 Open Forums spread over the 4 days of the Congress.
- All the CRCE credit you need to maintain your state license.
- Programs targeting all areas of the profession: adult critical care, neonatal/pediatrics, home care, continuing care/rehabilitation, diagnostics, transport, management, education, sleep, and long-term care.
So welcome to Anaheim and the 59th International Respiratory Convention & Exhibition, where you’re sure to find more of everything that matters to your organizations and your patients.
Congress kicks off with awards ceremony, keynote address
The 59th International Respiratory Convention & Exhibition will get underway this morning with an awards ceremony honoring top performers in the profession.
The ceremony will conclude with the presentation of our highest honor, the Jimmy A. Young Medal, which is going this year to Kerry George MEd RRT FAARC for his lifetime of dedication to ensuring a solid foundation for the educational, accreditation, and credentialing bodies in our profession. The Jimmy A. Young Medal is awarded annually to an individual who has exceeded all expectations for meritorious contributions to the advancement of the respiratory care profession and to the AARC.
Following the awards ceremony, Stephen Jencks MD MPH will take the podium to share his groundbreaking research on readmissions, published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2009. Dr. Jencks is widely considered the nation’s foremost authority on preventable hospital readmissions, and his work validated the readmission projections of CMS when constructing the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and penalties for excessive readmissions for certain diagnoses — including COPD — beginning Oct. 1, 2014. Dr. Jencks will specifically address the role the RT has to play in helping the health care system keep COPD patients out of the revolving door, and explain how RTs can leverage this role to improve their status on the health care team.
Dr. Jencks is a consultant in health care safety and quality, a senior fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and a former assistant surgeon general of the United States.
You too, could be a winner!
Outstanding professionals in respiratory care collected an array of awards this morning, but next year you could be the one hearing your name called to come up on stage. Just take a few moments to review the awards issued every year by the American Respiratory Care Foundation and then apply for the ones you think you qualify for.
Thank you, 2013 Corporate Partners
The AARC would like to say a special thanks to the following companies that participated in its Corporate Partners program this year:
CareFusion
Masimo Corporation
Covidien
Monaghan Medical Corporation
Philips Respironics
Drager Medical Inc.
GE Healthcare
Maquet Inc.
Tri-anim Health Services
Teleflex Medical
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Forest Laboratories Inc.
All of these companies comprise best-in-class organizations interested in supporting the goals and work of the Association. The program provides respiratory care providers with information, insights, and innovative approaches to improve performance and advance the health of their patients.
If you’re in Anaheim this week, please be sure to stop by their booths as you visit the AARC Exhibit Hall to express your appreciation for their support of the respiratory care profession.
Kerry George honored for life’s work in education and credentialing
Kerry George MEd RRT FAARC received this year’s Jimmy A. Young Medal during the awards ceremony that kicked off AARC Congress 2013 this morning.
As an instructor turned program director at Des Moines Area Community College in Des Moines, IA, since 1977, George has had a hand in molding several hundred respiratory therapy students into excellent practitioners in the field. The professional organizations governing their careers have benefited from his expertise as well.
An AARC member since his days as an RT student in the University of Chicago program, George has served the AARC in numerous capacities over the years, culminating with his presidency in 1997. But even before he became president, he had the unique opportunity to help shape the future of RT educational accreditation during negotiations between the AARC and Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education (JRCRTE).
Those discussions continued in his presidential year, concluding with the formation of the current Committee on the Accreditation of Respiratory Care (CoARC) in 1998. Following his presidential year, he served on the board of directors of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the umbrella body that formed to oversee CoARC and the accreditation organizations of other professions after professional accreditation transitioned from the American Medical Association process.
“I was honored to be elected to a position on the board and to serve as a liaison to accreditation committees outside the respiratory therapy profession as well as to provide leadership to the development of the accreditation processes for health education programs,” says George. “The respiratory therapy profession and CoARC were leaders in developing a focus on outcomes of the educational process rather than focus on the inputs and processes.”
Perhaps his greatest contributions to respiratory care, however, have come through his work with the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). “I have had the opportunity to work mainly with the Certified Respiratory Therapist and Written Registered Respiratory Therapist examinations during my time with the NBRC,” says George, who is currently serving as president of the Board of Trustees. “I am very proud to have been chair at the time the 2 separate committees were combined into one.”
Those efforts will come full circle in 2015, when the NBRC will implement a single multiple-choice exam for both credentials. “This is a big step in enabling therapists to achieve credentials important to their professional development,” says our 2013 Jimmy A. Young Medalist. “My experiences have allowed me to gain a broad understanding of the many different credentialing activities of the NBRC and to be able to lead the organization in a positive manner.”
Alpha-1 Foundation Hosts Education Day
The Alpha-1 Foundation is taking advantage of all the respiratory expertise in Anaheim this week by hosting one of its Education Days at the Marriott for patients, families, and caregivers affected by this genetic lung condition. Experts here at the meeting are volunteering their time today to help educate attendees about the value of pulmonary rehabilitation, offer tips on improving daily life for Alphas, provide information on the latest research, and encourage them to join the Alpha-1 Foundation Research Registry.
Register for Congress 2014 Now and Save
Everyone who’s in Anaheim this week for the Congress is getting the opportunity to save $100 on their registration to AARC Congress 2014 in Las Vegas. But even if you aren’t there, you can still take advantage of the savings. Register between now and Tuesday at midnight and you too can save $100!
Opening Reception kicks off this evening
After a long day of awards, lectures, the Exhibit Hall, and more, attendees at this year’s Congress will be ready to relax this evening—and the Opening Reception sponsored by Draeger will be just the place for them to do it.
The event runs from 7:30–10:30 in Platinum Ballrooms 5–6 at the Anaheim Marriott and will feature high-energy entertainment by the world-renowned party band Liquid Blue®. Complimentary drinks and snacks will be served as well. If you’re in Anaheim for the meeting, don’t miss this great chance to get together with your colleagues in a fun environment.
Top performers receive awards
The following top performers in the AARC, NBRC, and CoARC received awards during this morning’s Awards Ceremony. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved honors.
- Jimmy A. Young Medal: Kerry George MEd RRT FAARC
- NBRC/AMP William W. Burgin Jr. MD Education Recognition Award: Tracy Bedar
- William F. Miller MD Postgraduate Education Recognition Award: Jared B. Rice BSRT RRT-NPS RPFT
- NBRC/AMP Gareth B. Gish MS RRT Memorial Postgraduate Education Recognition Award: Charity Clark BS RRT
- Morton B. Duggan, Jr., Memorial Education Recognition Award: Stewart W. Morrison
- Jimmy A. Young Memorial Education Recognition Award: Kanokon Raksriaksorn
- Charles W. Serby COPD Research Fellowship: Krystal Craddock RRT-NPS
- Monaghan/Trudell Fellowship for Aerosol Technique Development: John W. Newhart RRT RCP
- Philips Respironics Fellowship in Non-Invasive Respiratory Care: Miri Suh
- Philips Respironics Fellowship in Mechanical Ventilation: Gerald Moody RRT-NPS AE-C
- CareFusion Fellowship for Neonatal and Pediatric Therapists: Robert Gillete MD
- Forrest M. Bird Lifetime Scientific Achievement Award: Michael T Newhouse MD MSc FRCP(C)
- Dr. Charles H. Hudson Award for Cardiopulmonary Public Health: COPD Foundation
- Thomas L. Petty MD Invacare Award for Excellence in Home Respiratory Care: Patricia Blakely RRT FAARC
- Mike West MBA RRT Patient Education Achievement Award: William F. Galvin MSEd RRT FAARC
- Ikaria Best Paper Award by Best First Author: Cynthia C White MSc RRT-NPS FAARC
- Dr. Allen DeVilbiss Best Paper Award: Mark S Siobal BS RRT FAARC
- Albert H. Andrews Jr. MD Memorial Award: David C. Levin MD FCCP
- Dr. Ralph L. Kendall Outstanding Site Visitor Award: Monica Schibig MA RRT-NPS CPFT
- Héctor León Garza MD Achievement Award for Excellence in International Respiratory Care: David J. Pierson MD FAARC
- International Fellows: Ana Cristina Okada PT, Lysbeth Roldán RT, Daisuke Tsukahara RN MSN, Mohamad El-Khatib PhD MD FAARC, Mohammed Herrag MD PhD
- Specialty Practitioners of the Year: Adult Acute Care, Tom Gillin RRT; Continuing Care/Rehabilitation, Connie Paladenech RRT; Diagnostics, Balamurugan Panneerselvam BS RST RPSGT; Education, Lynda Goodfellow EdD RRT FAARC; Long Term Care, Kendra Milliron CRT; Management, Dana Evans MHA RRT-NPS; Neonatal-Pediatrics, Wade Rich BS RRT CCRC; Surface & Air Transport, Alex Brendel MBA RRT-NPS
- Zenith Awards: Masimo Corporation, Covidien, Aerogen, Draeger Medical Inc., Philips Respironics, Teleflex Medical
- Honorary Membership: Kathy Blackmon
- Life Membership: Linda I. Van Scoder EdD RRT FAARC
- AARC Fellows: Edwin L. Coombs Jr MA RRT-NPS FAARC, John W. Lindsey Jr. MEd RRT-NPS FAARC, Kathy A. Short RRT RN FAARC, Garry Dukes BS RRT FAARC, Edward Conway BBA RRT FAARC, Mel Welch MPH RRT-NPS FAARC, Robert J. Harwood MSA RRT-NPS FAARC, Edward A. Scully MA RRT FAARC, Terry L. Forrette MHS RRT FAARC, Barry M. Westling MS RRT-NPS FAARC
The following will be recognized in a separate awards ceremony to take place during the Annual Business Meeting tomorrow morning. Congratulations to:
- Outstanding Affiliate Contributor: Shelia Guidry CRT, Louisiana
- Delegate of the Year: Daniel D. Rowley MSc RRT-ACCS FAARC
- Summit Award: Florida Society for Respiratory Care
Top companies receive Zenith Awards
The AARC was pleased to bestow its annual Zenith Awards on the following companies: Masimo Corporation, Covidien, Aerogen, Draeger Medical Inc., Philips Respironics, and Teleflex Medical.
All of these companies were selected based on the quality of their products, accessibility of their sales staff, responsiveness, service record, truth in advertising, and support of the respiratory care profession.
Introducing our 2013 class of FAARCs
Ten deserving members of the AARC were honored with the “Fellow of the American Association for Respiratory Care” or “FAARC” this morning. All of these members have excelled in their respective areas of the profession, and we thank them for the value they have added to our field.
- Edwin L. Coombs Jr. MA RRT-NPS FAARC
- John W. Lindsey Jr., MEd RRT-NPS FAARC
- Kathy A. Short RRT RN FAARC
- Garry Dukes BS RRT FAARC
- Edward Conway BBA RRT FAARC
- Mel Welch MPH RRT-NPS FAARC
- Robert J. Harwood MSA RRT-NPS FAARC
- Edward A. Scully MA RRT FAARC
- Terry L. Forrette MHS RRT FAARC
- Barry M. Westling MS RRT-NPS FAARC