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:
2024–2025 Recipients
Acute Care Hospital Category
AdventHealth for Children
Cooper University Hospital Respiratory Therapy Department
UT Southwestern William P. Clements University Hospital
Wellstar Hospital
AdventHealth East Orlando
Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas at Austin
Children’s Hospital Colorado
Education Category
Midwestern State University, Respiratory Care Program
University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Respiratory Care and Diagnostic Science Respiratory Care Bachelor’s Degree Advancement Program
Transport Category
Advocate Children’s Hospital Neonatal-Pediatric Transport Team
MedCenter Air Atrium Health
2023–2024 Recipients
Acute Care Hospital Category
Arkansas Children’s Hospital (third award term)
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Children’s Health of Orange County (third award term)
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — Respiratory Care Department (second award term)
ChristianaCare (third award term)
Emory University Hospital
Luminis Health, Anne Arundel Medical Center (third award term)
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
Nemours Children’s Health — Delaware
North Shore University Hospital — Northwell Health (third award term)
New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (third award term)
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center (fourth award year)
University Health System — Pediatric Respiratory Care Department
University of Maryland Medical Center (second award term)
The Valley Hospital (fourth award term)
VA Maryland Health Care System — Baltimore VA Medical Center
WellSpan York Hospital (third award term)
Education Category
Boise State University, program #520007 (second award term)
Georgia State University, program #200162 (third award term)
Gwynedd Mercy University, program #200274
Loma Linda University, program #200161 (second award term)
The Ohio State, program #200167
Rush University, program #220572 (third award term)
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, program #200176 (second award term)
University of Missouri Respiratory Therapy Program, program #200033 (second award term)
University of Missouri Respiratory Therapy Program at Mercy Hospital, program #300006 (second award term)
The University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Health Professions Department of Respiratory Care, program #200413
West Chester University/Bryn Mawr Hospital Respiratory Care Program, program #200313 (second award term)
= 100% AARC Membership
= 100% RRT Credential
= 100% Master’s Degree or Higher
