AARC member since 1984
Regional Clinical Manager
Apria Healthcare
Columbia, SC
AARC Activities:
Parliamentarian - BOD - 2006 Board of Directors - 2000 - 2003 Special Rep to the JCAHO Home Care PTAC - 2005 Chairman - Judicial Committee - 2005 to present Chairman - Bylaws Committee - 1996-1998 Co-Chairman - Public relations Committee (PRAT) 2004-2007 Member Political Action Committee - 1998 to present AARC Outstanding Affiliate Contributor Award - 1998
House of Delegates Activities:
Delegate - SC Society for Respiratory Care 1994-1997 AARC Delegate of the Year - 1996
Affiliate Activities:
President, SC Society for Respiratory Care - 1993 President-elect, SC Society for Respiratory Care - 1992 Past-President, SC Society for Respiratory Care - 1994 Board of Directors - SCSRC - 1990-1992 Co-Chairman SCSRC Legislative Affairs Committee - 1998 to present SCSRC President's Award - 2002
Education:
Associate of Science Respiratory Therapy - 1975 Central Wesleyan College - attended 1988-1989
What steps will you take to strengthen international exposure of respiratory care?
The AARC's mission statement regarding international activities states that the Association will seek to "promote communication, and fellowship among respiratory care professionals in the United States and their counterparts worldwide"... through "cooperation, dialogue and educational exchanges." The Association has objectives that help accomplish this mission. Among these is the ARCF sponsored International Fellowship Program. Since its inception, the program has encouraged and established professional relationships that have significantly strengthened international knowledge of respiratory care. The program also serves as a conduit for encouraging the promotion of science-based international respiratory care practice and encourages development of educational programs that assure the building blocks of qualified practitioners. Continued support and sustainability of the International Fellowship Program is vital to strengthening international exposure of respiratory care. For that reason, we must encourage continued support at the affiliate and national level and establish future goals that will support expansion of the program.
How would you suggest we recruit and educate the leaders of the future for the AARC?
Experience has shown that committed mentoring programs encourage people to volunteer their time and talents, evolving to assume leadership roles that they would have not previously considered plausible or possible. Recognizing that the affiliate level is the vital proving ground for future AARC leaders, mentoring at the local level is strategically imperative. Each of us stands on the shoulders of others who were willing to guide us on the leadership path. Accordingly, we should encourage and support leadership development committees at the affiliate level. These committees should include representatives of the entire membership of the affiliate, including students, practitioners, managers, educators, and current and former affiliate leadership. To complement this process, the AARC leadership can appoint liaisons who would assist and support the affiliate committees. Our personal and professional commitment to carry on this mentoring tradition through targeted affiliate leadership development committees will assure a steady stream of future AARC leaders.
With the introduction of the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative Bill in Congress, how are you going to work to get that bill successfully passed?
Ideally, our members have already written their Congressmen to request their support and co-sponsorship of the Medicare Initiative. Contact is easy through the AARC website. Accomplishment of this strategic goal will significantly improve patient access to respiratory therapy services while providing benefits for services provided by a respiratory therapist under Medicare Part B. A major opportunity for success is at the grassroots level. We should pursue every opportunity to educate our patients, families, friends and neighbors about the benefits of this legislation and ask them to contact and seek the support of their elected officials. Additionally, we must be visiting our elected officials while they are in their home districts so we can directly communicate our message about the benefits of the Medicare Initiative. Supporting and actively participating in grassroots efforts is our strength and will be very effective in generating local support that can determine this national legislative outcome.
