The Virginia Society for Respiratory Care
http://www.vsrc.org
Report for Board of Directors
TO: The VSRC Board of Directors
FROM: Daniel D. Rowley, MSc,RRT-ACCS, NPS, RPFT, FAARC
Lois Rowland, MS, RRT-NPS, RPFT, FAARC
VSRC Delegates to the AARC House of Delegates
RE: Q4 Board of Directors Meeting
DATE: January 9, 2014
______
Activities:
Dan and Lois participated in the AARC House of Delegates (HOD) meeting December 7-8, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV.
A. Resolutions
Resolution # 78 -14-8: PASSED: Resolve that the AARC Executive Office with the help of the Past Speaker update the HOD Resolutions tracking grid on the Delegates Home page within 60 days after the last HOD meeting. Updates are to be posted within 60 days anytime there is a change in status made by either the BOD, HOD or EO for all open HOD originated resolutions.
B. Legislative
1. State activity: TX RT licensure repeal defeated. MI licensure repeal as a revenue saving proposal has not moved forward, but expect that it will be reintroduced. CO RT licensure under its periodic review and supportive report written. CA joins OH In both states RTs with the CRT credential only which was granted prior to January 1, 2015 would be grandfathered in and not be affected by this change. MD and AZ making efforts toward RRT for licensure requirement.
2. Federal activity: Pulmonary rehab payments up, AARC toolkit likely was instrumental. http://www.aarc.org/headlines/14/12/medicare.cfm AARC instrumental in language revisions (CDC, CMS) related to neb cleaning, eliminating step re. tap water and alcohol rinse. http://aarc.org/headlines/14/11/nebulizer_cleaning/
3. Political Action Contact Team (PACT) Hill Day (17th annual) Tues, March 17, 2015. Will attach proposed language to HR 5380, telehealth bill which would cover RTs as "qualified practitioners” along with PT, OT, PT, SLP, audiologists, diabetes educators and other professionals. Telehealth "units" are hospital-based and care in the home will be in association with home health, hospice, etc. Current Medicare coverage now for telehealth is limited to some rural sites only for MDs, RNs, and RDs. Chronic conditions will be covered: COPD, diabetes, etc. Proposal will allow "Home" to be covered; this is expansion as part of DME, but regulations may or may not allow. This bill will require tracking for effectiveness of reducing readmissions and/or money saved. The report will be the basis for determining if other conditions will be added, as well as which practitioners are making positive changes. AARC would be involved. Bring stories of telehealth by RTs to Washington with PACT! Going to put our other approach with HR 2619 “on the shelf" if it looks like there is potential. Other bills may be introduced or re-introduced services.
C. AARC Election results http://www.aarc.org/headlines/14/11/elections.cfm Includes VSRC member Tabatha Dragonberry, RRT elected Surface & Air Transport Section Chair-Elect
D. Membership: Oct. ~41,000, Dec. ~46,000 Goal 50,000 by Pres. Salvatore’s 50th birthday in 2015. AARC efforts will include: attempting 6 renewal “touches,” “win back program,” autopay until request to stop by member, partnering with PR firm.
E. Additional AARC Efforts/Projects
1. COPD: COPD Best Practices AARConnect user group 371 members. Drive4COPD is ending; the campaign screened almost 3 million people, and sparked more than 3 million conversations about COPD since December 2012. 2014: >2,000 screened and 9% identified high risk for COPD. 2 COPD Foundation Mobile Spirometry Unit events (Richmond, VA and Ft. Lauderdale, FL).
2. Management: HR Study completed, results available soon.
3. Education: CPG development, AARC University incl. Leadership Institute, “Current Topics” DVD programs replacing “Professor’s Rounds,” live courses: Pulmonary Disease Educator March 16-17 2015 in conjunction with PACT Hill Day, Adult Critical Care Specialist in Winfield, IL on March 20, 2015. CDC Strategic National Stockpile Vent workshops in MO, TX. Online (on-demand) courses currently in development for 2015 include the Adult Critical Care Specialist course (13.5 cr), Caring for the Chronically Critically Ill course (3 cr), Spirometry course (2 cr), Advanced Pulmonary Function Technology course (4 cr), Congenital Heart Defects (5 cr), and Clinician Training on Tobacco Dependence for Respiratory Therapists (5 cr).
F. Other: 2014 donations (approx.) from state societies to Disaster Fund $6566, International Fellows $4050, ARCF $2500. (Note VSRC contributions Disaster $250, IF $250, ARCF $0).
Recommendations:
- Membership: Promote and increase AARC/VSRC membership.
- Legislative, national: Gather stories of RT role and outcomes in care of patients which support telehealth initiatives. Update Facebook page and website with PACT Hill Day information.
- Legislative, state: Investigate processes related to RRT minimum for licensure.
- Education: Gather information on processes to assist Associate level programs to bridge to Baccalaureate degree programs. Review Colorado society scholarship scoring system.
Other:
Dan
1. Continues to chair AARC HOD Delegate Assistance Committee
2. Serving a three-year elected term on the AARC Elections committee
Lois
1. Co-chair the AARC HOD Chartered Affiliates/Special Recognition committee
2. Serve on ad hoc committee to Advance the Profession, goals to include gathering information to 1) phase out the CRT and replace the entry level for licensure as RRT and 2) work towards Baccalaureate degree as minimum entry level into the profession (Committee co-chairs Joe Dwan (CA), Bob Bence (CA), other members: Chuck Menders (WV), Kristi Hack (WY), Mark Goldstein (CA), Jennifer Gresham (TX))
Respectfully submitted
Daniel D. Rowley, MSc,RRT-ACCS, NPS, RPFT, FAARC
Lois Rowland, MS, RRT-NPS, RPFT, FAARC
Strategic Plan of the AARC
http://www.aarc.org/member_services/mission/
Revised: July 2014; Sept. 2014, Approved: Oct. 2014
2015-2016 Goals for AARC President Frank Salvatore, MBA, RRT, FAARC:
1. Continue to develop and execute strategies that will increase membership beyond 50,000 active members and participation in the AARC both nationally and internationally.
2. Promote activities to increase public awareness of respiratory therapists and their role in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disorders.
3. Advance the concepts and initiatives brought about by the “Respiratory Therapist for 2015 and Beyond” conferences. Develop a toolkit to ensure the existing educational programs are able to move in a direction that will allow them to continue to develop our future students at a level that is consistent with them obtaining a bachelor’s degree, which will eventually become the entry into our profession.
4. Promote and advocate for appropriate patient and caregiver access to respiratory therapists in all care settings through local, state, and national legislation, regulation, and/or policies, including, but not limited to, recognizing respiratory therapists outside the traditional health care venues as well as recognizing the credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) as the minimum requirement for licensure.
5. Continue to advance our international respiratory community presence through activities designed to address issues affecting educational, medical, and professional trends in the global respiratory care community and to advance advocacy for the patient.
6. Promote the access of high-quality continuing education for development and enhancement of the skill base of today’s practitioners to meet the current and future needs of our profession.
7. Encourage the development of programs, accreditation, and credentialing of the Advanced Practice Respiratory Therapist (APRT) as a level of practice that will further improve the care given to our patients and advance the career track of our profession.
8. Maintain and expand relevant communication and alliances with key allies and organizations within our communities of interest.
9. Expand efforts to obtain research funding and develop the next generation of respiratory therapy researchers. The American Respiratory Care Foundation is an integral part of the funding/fundraising related to research; we will increase participation by our membership in ARCF fundraising activities through an educational effort that will increase awareness of the importance of the ARCF
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