CGH Earns Quality Respiratory Care Recogntion in National Program
February 8, 2010 — Cibola General Hospital has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals.
About 700 hospitals or approximately 15% of 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 agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.
To qualify for the recognition, Cibola General Hospital provided documentation showing it meets certain conditions. A summary of the conditions are:
- All respiratory therapists at the hospital 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.
- A doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care service.
- Hospital policies are consistent with AARC recommendations.
Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standards 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, YourLungHealth.org.
Cibola County is fortunate to have a full-service cardiopulmonary/respiratory department to provide outpatient and inpatient services at a sophisticated level to the region. Respiratory inpatient services are provided 24 hours per day, seven days per week by licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners. The hospital seeks to improve community health by providing state-of-the-art, non-invasive diagnostic testing including:
- Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs)
- Cardiac and Pulmonary Stress Tests (METs/VO2, etc.)
- Electrocardiograms (EKG)
- Holter Monitoring (24 hours and longer)
- Extended (30-day) Cardiac Event Monitoring
- Hemodynamic Assessments (ICG)
- Sleep Studies (for diagnostic and assessment of sleep disorders such as Sleep Apnea)
- Electroencephalograms (EEG)
- Patient educational services
At Cibola General Hospital, Respiratory Therapists specialize in testing for Uranium Miner compensation claims and work with the U.S. Department of Labor guidelines to ensure complete, accurate, and fair testing. Please call the CGH respiratory department’s direct line for any questions you may have regarding services: (505) 287-5270.
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