AARC Congress 2013 Gazette for Friday, November 15
Pre-courses add value to meeting attendance
AARC Congress 2013 won’t officially begin until tomorrow, but a number of attendees came in a day early and are busy learning about niche areas of respiratory care during 4 pre-courses going on today:
Respiratory Care and the Trauma Patient features leading clinicians from across the country who are addressing everything from airway management of the trauma victim to shock resuscitation.
Tobacco Intervention and Cessation Aids is bringing everyone up to speed on proven treatments and strategies to help people of all ages kick the habit, including hospitalized patients.
Patient Safety and the Respiratory Therapist is delving into issues like NIV-skin breakdown; sentinel events, critical incidents, and near misses; the role checklists can play in keeping patients safe from harm; and more.
Preparing for a Pandemic: The Strategic National Stockpile Mechanical Ventilators offers a great overview of the RT’s role during a national medical emergency, along with hands-on training on the SNS ventilators themselves.
Night at the Museum promises to be a big hit
Antique RT equipment will take center stage at the Marriott this evening, as Congress attendees gather for the ARCF’s Night at the Museum, a fundraiser to support the philanthropic efforts of the American Respiratory Care Foundation.
Pianist Henry Oh PhD RRT-NPS MT will provide the entertainment, and a short program will recognize Foundation donors. But the main event will be the equipment itself, along with some other cool paraphernalia from the profession’s past. Attendees will get the chance to see everything from oxygen tanks to some of the first mechanical ventilators used in the field.
A special thanks goes to the following people/companies for providing the equipment and other items that will be on display: CareFusion, Barlow Hospital, ResMed, Dr. Brian Tiep, Rich Casaburi MD Phd, Bob McCoy BS RRT FAARC, Forrest Bird PhD MD FAARC, AARC, Paula Anderson MD, Sechrist, Medical Graphics, and Monaghan.
A new Virtual Museum will be unveiled as well, and those on hand can purchase a “virtual brick” with a personalized inscription to help lay the foundation.
The Night at the Museum runs from 7–9 pm. If you have yet to purchase your ticket, they’ll be available at the door for $125, but tickets are limited.
Respiratory Informational Session Today
As we have at every Congress over the past several years, we’ll be hosting a special program for respiratory patients and families this afternoon in the Anaheim Marriott. Volunteers from the AARC will present a “Respiratory Informational Session” from 1–3 to educate people with chronic lung diseases about treatment options and provide advice on the appropriate use of aerosol delivery devices. It’s the AARC’s way of giving back to the community hosting our annual meeting.
Readmissions expert to deliver keynote address
Immediately following the awards ceremony that’ll kick off AARC Congress 2013 tomorrow morning, attendees will get to hear more about the government’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and what it means for respiratory therapists as Stephen Jencks MD MPH takes 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 respiratory therapist has to play in helping the health care system keep COPD patients out of the revolving door, and explain how therapists can leverage this role to improve their status on the health care team.
Getting the Job: Any AARC member can attend
We all know the job market for respiratory therapists has tightened up considerably in some parts of the country, and nowhere is that more true than in California.
For that reason, we’re opening up tomorrow afternoon’s session on “Getting the Job: From Resume to Interview” free of charge to all AARC members who would like to attend, whether they’re registered for the Congress or not.
So if you have AARC friends or colleagues who couldn’t join us at the Congress this week but will be in the Anaheim area tomorrow, give them a call, send them a text, contact them on Facebook, or put out a tweet and get them over to the Anaheim Marriott. The symposium kicks off at 2 pm in Platinum Ballrooms 2–4 and runs till 4:40.
Exhibit Hall to feature latest technological advancements
The Exhibit Hall will open right after the keynote address tomorrow morning, and with all the respiratory care companies in the business showing off their wares, it’ll be a great place for Congress attendees to see what’s available to improve the care of their patients.
The Hall will be open on Saturday from 11 am–4 pm, on Sunday from 9:30 am–3 pm, and on Monday from 9:30 am–2 pm.
Make the most of the meeting!
If you’ll be at the AARC Congress this week, we know you’ll be looking for information on the latest treatments and modalities in respiratory care and changes coming our way through the Affordable Care Act. But with so much going on all at once, it can be hard to make sure you get everything you came for. Here are some quick tips that can help:
- Budget time after sessions to visit with lecturers and ask questions — all the lecturers at this meeting (even the biggest names here) will be available after their talks to speak directly with attendees.
- Network with your colleagues to learn more about what they’re doing at their facilities and explore job opportunities around the country.
- Collect business cards of the folks you meet and jot down notes on the back of the cards to remember who’s who and why they may be important to your future.
- Use the Congress to explore new career paths. All of the Specialty Sections and many of the Roundtables are hosting meetings, and everyone (not just current members) is invited to attend. See “Your Daily Planner” in the Online Gazette.
- Set aside time each day to visit the Exhibit Hall and make a list of the vendors you want to see during each excursion. Remember, the hall is open Saturday through Monday, so you don’t have to see it all at once.
- Ask vendors to share the scientific proof behind their new technologies and inquire about opportunities to conduct joint research projects.
- Take advantage of vendor-sponsored events and be sure to request follow-up calls or visits from vendors once you get back home.
Save now on Congress 2014 registration
Yes, the 2013 Congress is just now getting underway. But the AARC is already thinking ahead to the 2014 meeting at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. And to help get things started, we’re offering everyone at the meeting and back home too the chance to SAVE $100 off the registration fee. All you have to do is register either onsite in Anaheim or online by Tuesday at midnight.
AARC Congress 2014 will take place Dec. 9–12 (Tuesday–Friday), 2014.