12 years ago, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety was established with the mission of improving patient safety and the quality of patient care. There can perhaps be no better way to celebrate this accomplishment than today’s announcement of the first facility to receive Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation. Congratulations, West Meade!
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) is pleased to announce that West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has met or exceeded the Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards of Care.
West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center has provided nursing services to the Greater Nashville community since 1992. Said James Wright (Administrator, West Meade Place) about their dedication to quality of care, “At West Meade, we are committed to the care and satisfaction of the customers we serve. Receiving Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring that our customers receive the highest level of care.”
Clyde Heflin MD, FACCP spoke about the need for recognized standards of care, “Previous to the Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards of Care, there were no established standards of care. Patients were sent to healthcare facilities based on other factors – bed availability, the smoothness of the marketing process, the look of the building, and so on. Enhanced Respiratory Care provides a standard of care that ensures that patients are receiving care based on an established standard and not on extraneous factors.” Dr. Heflin is also a member of the Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards Committee.
Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety) emphasized the patient safety and quality of care that the Nashville community will now enjoy, saying, “When families send their loved ones and friends to a healthcare facility, they want to make sure that they are receiving the best care possible. For the Nashville community, West Meade Place is such a facility.”
Gene Gantt, RRT, FAARC (Former Chair AARC Long Term Care; AARC Representative to the Respiratory Compromise Institute; President, Eventa, LLC) reflected on his long-term relationship with Mr. Wright, “I have known James for many years. He runs a well-organized facility, so I am pleased and not surprised that West Meade Place is the first healthcare facility in the United States and in the World to receive Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation.” Mr. Gantt is also a member of PPAHS’s board of advisors.
The Enhanced Respiratory Care Standards of Care are supported and endorsed by the American Association for Respiratory Care. Carl Hinkson, MS, RRT-NPS, ACCS, FAARC (President, American Association for Respiratory Care) writes:
“The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) would like to express our support and endorsement of your efforts in developing standards of care and facility accreditation for long-term mechanical ventilation in skilled nursing facilities. As the leading professional association for respiratory therapists in the United States, we recognize the importance of ensuring patients receive the highest quality care possible.”
Mr. Gantt, whose team has developed and managed the Enhanced Respiratory Care program in Tennessee since 2013, said, “The Enhanced Respiratory Care Program is based on standards published by the American Association for Respiratory Care. Utilized in Tennessee, this Program has achieved liberation rates of 65% and has earned national recognition of excellence from the American College of Chest Physicians.”
For more on the Enhanced Respiratory Care Accreditation and how to apply for accreditation, please visit https://ppahs.org/accreditation-of-facilities/
About National HealthCare Corporation and West Meade Place Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center
West Meade Place (operated by National HealthCare Corporation) is dedicated to the provision of life-enhancing services that enable our residents to achieve their highest potential for mobility, rehabilitation, breathing and quality-of-life. We strive to walk hand-in-hand with our residents during their times of health care challenges. Our team of qualified professionals is dedicated to providing compassionate and quality rehabilitation, skilled nursing services and enhanced respiratory care designed to promote independence, in an environment that is comfortable and nurturing. For more about West Meade, please visit http://www.westmeadeplace.com.
National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) affiliates operate for themselves and third parties 68 skilled nursing facilities with 8,732 beds. NHC affiliates also operate 23 assisted living communities with 1,181 units, five independent living communities with 475 units, three behavioral health hospitals, 34 homecare agencies, and 30 hospice agencies. NHC’s other services include Alzheimer’s and memory care units, pharmacy services, a rehabilitation services company, and providing management and accounting services to third party post-acute operators. Other information about the company can be found on our web site at http://www.nhccare.com. For more about NHC, please visit www.nhccare.com.
About Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety
Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety is ranked internationally as a top-100 patient safety organization (Agilience Authority Index, July 2023) and is a national advocacy force for addressing patient health and safety priorities shared by patients, physicians, regulators, and industry. PPAHS seeks to ensure that the best medications, medical inventions, and technology that can improve care and reduce costs are employed. PPAHS works to advance patient health and safety by developing and highlighting best practices and recommendations through better use and application of clinical practices and experiences, information technologies and checklists, and healthcare information. As a voice in support of ideas and innovation that can improve care, we encourage a health ecosystem that fosters a culture of patient safety. For more about PPAHS, please visit www.ppahs.org.