Joseph Goss, MSJ, RRT
As quickly summer moved to autumn, our summer House of Delegates meeting past and moved to our fall meeting. Because of business back home, I was the only NJ delegate to make the travel to San Antonio. So, a few highlights.
Once again our military liaison, Debra Skees, provided the House and AARC Board of Directors an update on the committee’s initiative to identify respiratory therapist who served our country and wish to act as a military liaison. Currently, seventeen states have an active military liaison. New Jersey still has not identified a liaison, so if you are interested contact us.
Three best practice presentations where given: HOD Resolution Process, Internal Website Management, and a Panel Discussion: States Moving from CRT to RRT for Minimum Requirement for Licensure. The first presentation was aimed at the House’s internal process of conducting business. The second, Website Management, was presented by myself. I discussed way state affiliates could improve their society websites and save money at the same time. Something New Jersey embarked on this summer and more to be read about in another Scope article. The last presentation described the how and why three states move from the certification level NBRC exam to the registry exam for licensure. Those states have recognized the importance and the respect that comes with the credential.
As mentioned in the June delegates report, AARC membership is again down. The AARC membership remains flat. If you are student reading this, the AARC and NJSRC wants you to know the value of membership. In the coming months, you will see a new vigor by the NJSRC to engage students. If you are already a member and know of a colleague that is not a member, help them realize the value of AARC membership.
AARC President Frank Salvatore provided his last address to the House of Delegate. At this year’s AARC Annual Business meeting, Brian Walsh began his term of president. As a tradition to President Salvatore addresses’, he outlined the three key areas all members should always think about: Promote, Advance, Advocate respiratory care. President-elect, now President, Walsh while not abandoning those goals added his own twist. He is going to focus on three issues as well but calling them: Safety, Quality and Value. Briefly, safety will focus on improving access to respiratory therapists and identifying the therapist as the right expert to improve safety by having us in the right place at right time. Quality will place emphasis on advance the educational requirements and promoting access of high quality continuing education. The third, value, will focus on continuing to develop and execute strategies that will increase membership and promoting the public awareness of respiratory therapist.
The final few housekeeping areas are education and the AARC’s political action focus. The Pulmonary Disease Educator course is due to go online in January 2017. This was a program first launched in 2015 and has been a great success. The AARC is anticipating their upcoming PACT event in Washington DC next April. Once the November elections are past, the AARC can focus on changes in Washington and we need to “make ready” for our grassroots response to legislative changes. The primary grassroots focus being recognition of the respiratory therapist in telemedicine and Medicare reimbursement. Finally, for the mangers, the AARC’s Benchmarking tool will be updated next year. If your facility is not using this valuable tool, I encourage your facility to invest it the program.
As always, it is our honor to represent the NJSRC at the national level. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@njsrc.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.
Thank you for your commitment to respiratory care.
