March 1, 2007

Program Committee Starts the Process
Member-submitted proposals were all part of the process of planning the 53rd International Respiratory Congress. Make note of the date and place: Dec. 1-4 in Orlando. The topics are those that are impacting the profession today. Read how the Program Committee began the planning process last week. And save money on an Early Bird Registration.

Support the PACT
They will be in Washington on March 6 representing your interests. These 100-plus AARC members will be making visits to their Representatives and Senators to discuss the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative, pulmonary rehabilitation bills, and the home oxygen cap. Stay tuned for a report on their success next week.

Rapid Response Resource Has What You Need
Rapid response teams are a growing phenomenon all across the country, and RTs are key players. Now the AARC has a new resource with everything you would ever need to know to set up one of these teams in your facility. The page also includes a great sample of the news coverage therapists have received for their role over the past few months and a video courtesy of Baylor Health Care.

 AARC Supports FDA Tobacco Legislation
This could be the year for legislation aimed at allowing the FDA to regulate the tobacco industry: bills were just introduced into both the House and Senate calling for FDA regulation. The AARC is on board, and you should be too. Click on the link to read about the legislation, then visit Capitol Connection to let your members of Congress know respiratory therapists are in full support of FDA regulation of tobacco.

Association Endorses TB Core Competencies
AARC members from six leading universities are playing a key role in a program to develop core competencies in tuberculosis education for health care professionals. The effort is being spearheaded by the National Tuberculosis Curriculum Consortium, and the initial set of RT competencies has now been endorsed by the AARC.

Drug Safety: Why Balance is the Key
Drug safety is a vital mission of the AARC, but so is making sure patients have ready access to new medications that can better treat their conditions. That's the goal of the National Health Council as well, and as a key member of the group, the AARC is supporting a balanced approach to drug safety in a new letter just delivered to the FDA.

Just Say "Joint Commission"
The organization we all know as the “Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations” has downsized its name. The commission will now be known simply as “The Joint Commission.” The rebranding is part of an overall effort to increase responsiveness to organizations seeking accreditation.

Comments or questions? Send them to info@aarc.org .