Respiratory care team receives national recognition

May 19, 2009, DANVILLE – Geisinger Medical Center’s respiratory care team recently received recognition from a national quality organization.

Hospitals receiving the American Association for Respiratory Care’s Quality Respiratory Care Recognition designation meet strict safety and quality standards related to the provision of respiratory care services by qualified respiratory therapists.

Respiratory therapists work with physicians to provide a wide range of breathing treatments and services to patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and other lung-related problems. They also care for premature infants and play a key role as part of the lifesaving response teams that handle medical emergencies.

Geisinger’s respiratory care team is one of 700 hospitals in the United States that have received this prestigious recognition.

“This is a great honor for our department and the hospital,” said Geisinger respiratory therapy team leader John Conrad, RRT.

Geisinger’s respiratory therapists have taken a more active role in quality initiatives and care programs in the hospital, Conrad noted. In addition, the team has grown from 24 respiratory therapists when Conrad arrived at Geisinger in 1981 to about 65 currently on staff.