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Palisades Medical Center Earns Quality Respiratory Care Recognition in National Program
Palisades Medical Center has earned 2010 Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of respiratory care services available in hospitals.
Only 700 out of the 5,000 hospitals in the United States have applied for and received this award.
The QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003 to help consumers identify those facilities using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by adhering to a strict set of criteria.
To qualify for the 2010 recognition, Palisades Medical Center provided documentation showing it meets the following conditions:
- All respiratory therapists employed by the hospital to deliver bedside respiratory care services are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the CRT or RRT credential.
- Respiratory therapists are available 24 hours.
- Other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures may be designated in writing.
- A doctor of medicine osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services.
The AARC's QRCR program grew out of growing concerns among health care leaders and the general public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standard and guidelines, and should be commended for their commitment to quality care. A list of QRCR hospitals is maintained at the association's website for consumers (www.yourlunghealth.org).
Respiratory therapists are specially trained health care professionals who work under physician's orders to provide a wide range of breathing treatments and other services to people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, AIDS, and other lung or lung-related conditions. They also care for premature infants and are key members of lifesaving response teams charged with handling medical emergencies.
The AARC is a membership organization representing more than 46,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.
Palisades Medical Center is located in North Bergen, NJ, and serves a population of 400,000 in Hudson and Southern Bergen Counties. The Medical Center is a member of the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System, and features a 202-bed hospital and The Harborage, a 245-bed nursing home and rehabilitation center. The State of New Jersey's annual healthcare report card ranked Palisades as one of the top hospitals in the state and #1 in Hudson County. Palisades was also one of only two hospitals in New Jersey to receive a perfect 100% score in treating heart attack patients. The State's annual evaluation showed that The Harborage at Palisades has "Zero Deficiencies" — a result that is earned by only 3% of nursing homes.