Respiratory Care Organizations: Champions, Protectors, and Representatives

1. Respiratory Care Understanding the Organizations that Serve Our Profession

2. In Respiratory Care American Association for Respiratory Care The professional association Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care Programs The accrediting body for schools National Board for Respiratory Care The credentialing body

3. American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) • Champion of the profession • Protector of the profession • Representative for the profession

4. Champion • Advances the “art and science” of respiratory care through publications, standards development, encouragement of research • Promotes and sponsors continuing education • Publishes and promotes scientific literature

5. Protector • Advances our professional agenda in Washington DC • Encourages and advises on state professional issues • Promotes agenda based on what is best for our patients

6. Representative • Participates in activities in which respiratory therapists have an interest. • Represents the profession with other organizations and agencies.

7. Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) • Accredits respiratory care educational programs • Sponsored by AARC and three physician organizations

8. National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) • Administers examinations leading to credentials in respiratory care • RRT • CRT • CPFT • RPFT • RRT-NPS

9. National Board for Respiratory Care • Sponsored by the AARC, the National Society for Pulmonary Technology, and three physician organizations • Works with state licensing boards • Accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies

10. Physician organizations • Board of Medical Advisors • American Thoracic Society • American College of Chest Physicians • American Society of Anesthesiologists • National Association of Medical Directors of Respiratory Care

11. Board of Medical Advisors • A board of physician advisors to AARC that includes representatives from three main AARC sponsoring organizations: ATS, ACCP, and ASA. • Also includes reps from American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Allergy and Immunology, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and NAMDRC.

12. ATS - American Thoracic Society • ATS members help prevent and fight respiratory disease around the globe. • Originally formed as the physician arm of the American Lung Association • Known for publication of “the blue journal,” The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

13. ACCP - American College of Chest Physicians • Physician groups whose members specialize in chest medicine -- pulmonary and cardiology. • Publishes “Chest”

14. ASA - American Society of Anesthesiologists • Organized to raise and maintain the standards of medical practice of anesthesiology. • One of the three primary, and original, sponsors of the AARC.

15. NAMDRC - National Association for Medical Direction of Respiratory Care • An organization of medical directors for respiratory care departments. • Purpose is to educate its members and address regulatory, legislative and payment issues that relate to the delivery of health care to patients with respiratory disorders.