The Home Care Section elected long-time AARC member Joan A. Kohorst, MA, RRT-NPS, clinical manager at Apria Healthcare in St. Louis, MO, chair-elect during the AARC elections last fall.

Joan has served the Association in numerous capacities over the years, including as president of the Missouri Society for Respiratory Care from 2000 to 2002. She is also a member of the American Lung Association Pulmonary Society, Missouri Thoracic Society, and American Association of Home Care, and has contributed to publications ranging from “Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Care Workbook” to the “Pediatric Home Care Procedure Manual” and “Manual of Home Health Nursing Procedures.”

Joan believes the biggest challenge facing the respiratory care profession today is “the declining pool of available therapists to care for an increasing number of patients with chronic lung disorders.” Read more about her thoughts on resolving this and other issues.

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Gene Andrews, RRT, vice president of clinical services and operations at Hytech Homecare in Mentor, OH, has received the 2003 Invacare Award for Excellence in Home Respiratory Care.

The award, which was established in 1992 by Invacare to honor remarkable individual achievement in home respiratory care, is presented annually by the American Respiratory Care Foundation at the AARC International Respiratory Congress.

Gene, who received the award at the 2003 AARC Congress in Las Vegas, NV, was honored for his dedication to bringing high quality home respiratory services to patients throughout northeast Ohio.
“ Gene is one of the most well-liked and well-respected respiratory therapists practicing today,” says Joseph Lewarski, RRT, president of Hytech Homecare/Hytech Medical Supply and Home Care Section chair. “His years of tireless dedication to the profession, and most recently to home care, prove him worthy of this prestigious award.”

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