Management Section Chair
Kim Bennion, MHS, RRT
Administrative Director of Respiratory Care
Intermountain Healthcare
Member Since: 1995
AARC Activities:
- Dec 2018: Chair, Management Section (filling position for newly elected chair to another AARC office)
- Dec 2018: AARC Board of Directors (Management Section Chair)
- Dec 2018: Member, Program Committee
- Dec 2018: Member, Government Affairs Committee
- 2018–Current: AARC Uniform Reporting Manual Committee/Task Force
Affiliate Activities:
- 2009: Vice-President, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2010: President-elect, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2011: President, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2012: Past-President and Membership Chair, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2013: Secretary and Membership Chair, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2014: President-Elect & Research/Publication Committee Chair, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2015: President & Membership Committee Co-Chair, Utah Society for Respiratory Care
- 2016: USRC Past-President
Related Organizations:
- 2009–Current: Member, Health Care Compliance Association
- 2012 — Utah Tobacco Free Alliance member
- 2014 — Utah Health and Human Services Committee (ad hoc)
- 2016 — Current: Utah Division of Professional Licensing Board
Education:
- AS, Respiratory Care, Rose State College, 1979
- BSRT, Advanced Respiratory Care, Weber State University, 1990
- MsHs, Public Health, Trident University, 2012
- Credentials:
- RRT, National Board for Respiratory Care, 1983
- CHC, Health Care Compliance Association, 2010
Publications:
- Lead author/co-author of over 50 abstracts published/presented, American Association for Respiratory Care, 1997– 2018. Students and professionals have been mentored for data entry, analysis and reporting via abstract presentations to improve care processes and enhance the utilization of evidence-based, best practices.
Elections Committee Questions:
What experience or significant contributions do you have to offer the AARC which would help accomplish one or more of the AARC Horizon Goals as presented by President Schell?
As the current, appointed AARC Management Section Chair, I drafted 2019 Section goals based on the AARC Horizon Goals and feedback from key section members. Goals include key initiatives and projected completion plans/dates and progress will be reported at the Section meeting at Summer Forum Over 80% of the goals are in progress or have been accomplished. Many of these were based not only on Horizon Goals, but also on feedback from a Management Section member survey completed in 2017.
What ideas would you present to increase AARC membership?
While serving as the USRC Membership Committee Chair, we assigned the USRC Board of Directors facilities to personally visit throughout the year. As the Chair and USRC President, I was able to visit every hospital in Utah, created a spreadsheet of hospital managers with their contact information. Once there, we were able to articulate the mission, goals, details regarding membership and the benefits of such.
Throughout the year, I personally emailed them regarding key initiatives from the AARC/USRC and other healthcare industry issues.
We also offered opportunities for community education/benefit and lobbying on Utah’s Capitol Hill during open legislative sessions.
I believe all these initiatives are realistically translatable for implementation by the AARC and will improve membership and engagement.
Role-Specific Questions:
What do you feel are the top two or three opportunities facing your section that you believe should be addressed during your term?
- We are currently planning a 2019 Summer Forum leadership training pre-conference course. Developing effective leaders requires both the art and science of leadership skills for current members in management job descriptions as well as front line RTs and students who desire to lead.
- External consultants are a continued challenge for Respiratory Care leaders. Working to create an updated, AARC Uniform Reporting Manual will prove key in speaking to and reporting the value of Respiratory Care in healthcare.
- Respiratory Care standardization in what, why, where and how we provide medically necessary interventions, advance our education, report non-revenue generating services and expand our scope of practice will create the foundation of our profession moving forward.
