From the desk of the Executive Director of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety – this article discusses the receipt of 11 applications for Enhanced Respiratory Care across 6 US states and 2 different countries, as well as substantial international interest in ERC courses from Ghana, Kuwait, and Pakistan.
By Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)
Enhanced Respiratory Care Pre-Launch Jitters
When we were planning for the launch of the Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation program, the pessimist in me said we would not get any applications at all.
However, even before we launched the program on April 20, 2023, Carl Hinkson, MS, RRT-NPS, ACCS, FAARC (President, American Association for Respiratory Care) had sent us this letter announcing support and endorsement of our Enhanced Respiratory Care program.
In addition, prior to launch, we received 2 applications for accreditation! Both of these applications were from Tennessee, which did not surprise me considering that the Enhanced Respiratory Care program was started in Tennessee by Gene Gantt, RRT, FAARC (Former Chair AARC Long Term Care; AARC Representative to the Respiratory Compromise Institute; President, Eventa, LLC). Gene is also a member of our board of advisors.
But, then, soon after the launch, Wes Ely, MD, MPH (CIBS Center, Vanderbilt University, VA-GRECC) endorsed our Enhanced Respiratory Care program. For those of you who may not know Dr. Ely, he is a critical care physician and a published author. Perhaps you have read one of his books – Delirium in Critical Care or Every Deep-Drawn Breath.
Dr. Ely has endorsed our Enhanced Respiratory Care program saying:
“As a critical care physician, I am pleased to endorse the standards of care and accreditation for long-term ventilator facilities developed by the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety. These standards are evidence-based and prioritize patient safety, which is of utmost importance in healthcare delivery.”
Moreover, 9 more applications were soon received, bringing the total number of applications for Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation to 11. Moreover, these 11 applications were not all from Tennessee. In fact, the majority were not from Tennessee. 8 applications were from the states of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Hawaii, New York, and Pennsylvania, and one is from outside of the US!
International Interest in Enhanced Respiratory Care
Moreover, the interest in Enhanced Respiratory Care is global. Interest in the Enhanced Respiratory Care continuing medical education courses has come from the United States (as expected) but also from outside of the US in places like Ghana, Kuwait, and Pakistan!
Gene and I are pleased and honored – partly because of the success of the Enhanced Respiratory Care program – but mostly because of what this means for patient safety and the quality of patient care. For the very first time, patients in long-term care and their families will know which healthcare facilities have met the Enhanced Respiratory Care Standard of Care and which clinicians have been trained in the Standard of Care.
