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AARC President Reaffirms Focus on Advocacy and Networking

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January 12, 2011

Karen Stewart, MS, RRT, FAARC, was sworn in as AARC president at the recent Annual Business Meeting held in Las Vegas.

Stewart will be serving a two-year term as president. In accepting her position, she acknowledged that patient advocacy remains in the forefront of AARC activities and that networking will continue to help us grow as professionals.

This video contains excerpts of her acceptance speech on Dec. 7 in which she outlines her goals for 2011.

Goals for 2011

  • Continue to promote the patient and their families’ needs by being the advocate for these patients with respiratory disorders.
  • Continue to develop and execute strategies that will increase membership and participation in the AARC both nationally and internationally.
  • Promote patient access to respiratory therapists as medically necessary in all care settings through appropriate vehicles at local, regional, and national venues.
  • Continue to advance our international respiratory community presence through activities designed to address issues affecting educational, medical, and professional trends in the global respiratory care community and to advance advocacy for the patient.
  • Evaluate the transitional needs to meet the competencies necessary to develop the “Respiratory Therapist for 2015 and Beyond” based on the expected needs of respiratory care patient, the profession and the evolving health care system.
  • Promote the access to high quality continuing education to develop and enhance the skill base of current practitioners to meet the future needs of our profession.
  • Maintain and expand relevant communication and alliances with key allies and organizations within our communities of interest.
  • Expand efforts to obtain research funding,
  • Increase and enhance activities to increase public awareness of respiratory therapists and their role in the treatment of respiratory disorders.