Re-engineering patient care was a requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic, where many hospitals underwent massive transformation, and Respiratory Therapists were critical for team leadership of safe, effective practices in high acuity interventions that saved many lives.

Now, in an environment of staff shortages across provider specialties, the knowledge and experience of the Respiratory Therapist plays an even more vital role to your interdisciplinary teams in reducing risk, reducing cost and serving a primary role in disease management.

When RTs are positioned as the major physician partner in the management of COPD, they help reduce length of stay and readmissions for patients in-hospital and through at-home and long-term care.

That’s why the AARC advocates for CMS to continue to allow and make permanent the important virtual/telehealth respiratory care services that were part of the waivers included in the COVID public health emergency (PHE). We need permanent telehealth pulmonary rehabilitation for Medicare beneficiaries to keep cardiopulmonary patients breathing better.

From neonatal to adult long-term care, respiratory therapy is paramount to effective, efficient and lifesaving care. But there is a critical shortage of providers which needs to be addressed now. You can help by acting on the 4 Rs: