The AARC Apex Recognition Award is a recognition program for respiratory care departments in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, home medical equipment (HME) companies, educational programs, and dedicated transport teams.
The AARC proudly recognizes the following facilities with the Apex Recognition Award:
= Multiple Year Recipient
= 100% AARC Membership
= 100% RRT Credential
= 100% Master’s Degree or Higher
2026–2027 Recipients
Acute Care Category
Emory Decatur Hospital
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital
Cooper University Hospital
Advent Health for Children
University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
Houston Methodist Continuing Care — TMC
The University of Kansas Health System
Houston Methodist Continuing Care — Katy
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas
Emory Hospital — Midtown
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Acute Care International Category
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre
Dedicated Transport Category
Advocate Children’s Hospital Neonatal and Pediatric Transport Team
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital Respiratory Transport Team
Education Category
Southern Connecticut State University AS-to-BSRT Program
Middle Georgia State University — Department of Respiratory Therapy and Health Sciences
University of Kansas Medical Center Respiratory Care and Diagnostic Sciences BSRC Degree Advancement
The Ohio State University
Daytona State College
2025–2026 Recipients
Acute Care Hospital Category
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Hospital Orange County Respiratory Department
ChristianaCare
Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Orlando Health
Emory University Hospital
Houston Methodist Hospital West Campus
Inova Fair Oaks
Inova Fairfax Medical Center
Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center
Massachusetts General Hospital
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital Respiratory Care Department
Nemours Children’s Hospital — Delaware
New York — Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
North Shore University Hospital, Northwell Health
Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Piedmont Atlanta
Reading Hospital-Tower Health
Rush University Medical Center
The Valley Hospital, NJ
University Health Pediatric Respiratory Therapy Department
University of Maryland Medical Center
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health
VA Maryland Healthcare System
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
WellSpan York Hospital
Acute Care International Category
Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Abdulaziz Medical City
Respiratory Care Administration at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster
Education Category
Boise State University Master of Science in Respiratory Care
CHI/UMary Respiratory Therapy Program
Georgia State University
Gwynedd Mercy University
Loma Linda University
Rush University
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences: College of Health Professions
University of Missouri @200033 Entry to BHS Program
University of Missouri #510020 RRT to BHS Degree Advancement Program
University of Texas Medical Branch
Transport Category
University of Missouri Hospital
= Multiple Year Recipient
= 100% AARC Membership
= 100% RRT Credential
= 100% Master’s Degree or Higher
