American Respiratory Care Foundation
9425 N. MacArthur Blvd, Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063-4706
(972) 243-2272, Fax (972) 484-2720
http://www.arcfoundation.org, E-mail: info@arcfoundation.orgLocal Therapist Honored by National Respiratory Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dallas, TX (December 17, 2012) —The American Respiratory Care Foundation (ARCF) honored Mike West, RRT, with the first Mike West Patient Education Achievement Award, given at the largest national meeting of respiratory therapists held each year.
The Mike West Patient Education Achievement Award was established and given for the first time in 2012 with an endowment from Philips Respironics to recognize the importance of educating patients about their respiratory disease. The award is named for Philips Respironics patient educator Mike West, who spent his career working to ensure that patients, caregivers, and industry obtained the highest understanding of respiratory disease and the best solutions for people living with a lung condition.
It will be awarded annually to a respiratory therapist who has demonstrated a profound impact on patients as established by measureable outcomes as a result of patient education. It was given for the first year to its namesake, Mike West of El Cajon, CA, who died only three weeks before its presentation.
The award was accepted by Mike’s family at the American Association for Respiratory Care annual convention in New Orleans.
Respiratory therapists are specialized health care providers who take care of people with lung conditions ranging from asthma to COPD. They work throughout the acute care hospital on the general wards, in the emergency department, and in the intensive care units, and are also increasingly employed in sleep centers, physician offices, outpatient clinics, pulmonary rehabilitation programs, skilled nursing facilities, and patients’ homes.### RRT stands for Registered Respiratory Therapist
About the American Respiratory Care Foundation
The American Respiratory Care Foundation is non-profit organization, formed for the purpose of supporting research, education and charitable activities. Each year it presents scholarships, fellowships, research and literary awards in support of respiratory care.
Contact: April Lynch
972-243-2272
lynch@aarc.org
