AARC Congress 2016 was packed with career building information for respiratory therapists. RTs who attended the meeting in San Antonio this past October came home with a wealth of knowledge they could put right to use in their facilities.
What stood out in their minds as the best of the best? Here’s what three of them had to say —
Opportunities for RCPs
I learned that the changing face of health care reimbursement will provide a great number of opportunities for RCPs. From accountable care organizations to Medicare alternative payment models to a growing focus on payments based on value rather than volume, the door is open for RCPs to build new career pathways. We have solid evidence in hand that using RCPs throughout the continuum of care provides health care systems improved outcomes at reduced cost; now we have an opportunity to put that evidence to use and build the profession. I can put what I learned about these new payment structures (as well as the remarkable networking opportunities I experienced) to use right away to help expand my role in disease management education and care coordination.
– Michael Hess, BS, RRT, WMU School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI
Networking opportunities
The 2016 AARC Congress provided networking opportunities with leaders in respiratory care from around the world. Presenting and having discussions with other respiratory therapists provided insight on areas of need in our field that can help progress our profession and careers. Specifically, I learned that many respiratory therapists are interested in advancing their education and exploring investigative research opportunities. I believe this is a positive trend that will help our field of respiratory care become a bigger part of the health care scientific community.
– Dave Burnett, PhD, RRT, AE-C, chair and assistant professor, University of Kansas department of respiratory care education, Kansas City, KS
Research
I loved the research part of the Congress, with all the new therapies and the impact they will have on our patients. Dean Hess’s lecture on new uses for CO was fascinating and he is a great speaker. Shawna Strickland’s lecture on motivating staff to achieve department goals hit home for me on how to manage my team of six research coordinators. Using her model and her lecture will help me motivate my staff to achieve their goals by having them set their individualized personal development plans and lead them by example.
– Dina Gomaa, BS, RRT, CCRC, clinical trauma manager, department of surgery, division of trauma and critical care, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
