HealthSouth Regional Specialty Hospital has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals.

The QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003 to help consumers identify those facilities utilizing qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.

To qualify for the recognition, HealthSouth Regional Specialty Hospital met the following conditions:

• All respiratory therapists employed by the hospital to deliver bedside respiratory care services are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the CRT or RRT credential.
• Respiratory therapists are available 24 hours.
• Other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures must be designated in writing.
• A doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services.

The AARC's QRCR program grew out of growing concerns among health care leaders and the general public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standards and guidelines, and should be commended for their commitment to quality care. A full list of hospitals having this designation is available at www.yourlunghealth.org.

Respiratory therapists are specially trained health care professionals who work under physician's orders to provide a wide range of breathing therapies, medication treatments and other services to people with respiratory failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, AIDS, and other lung or lung-related conditions. They also are key members of lifesaving response teams charged with handling medical emergencies.

The AARC is a membership organization representing more than 34,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.

HealthSouth Regional Specialty Hospital is a 46-bed facility that is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Offering long-term inpatient services, the hospital specializes in managing the complex medical care and rehabilitation of patients who have multiple acute healthcare needs.

HealthSouth Corporation is one of the nation's largest providers of healthcare services, operating outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging and rehabilitative healthcare facilities nationwide. HealthSouth can be found on the Web at www.healthsouth.com.

For more information, please contact Stacy Matty, 717 691-3747.