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The American Association for Respiratory Care recently recognized the outstanding respiratory care patients receive at Mariners Hospital by awarding Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) for 2008 to Mariners.
Mariners is one of only 700 hospitals, or approximately 15 percent of hospitals, in the United States to receive the national award.
The association gives the award as a way to help patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation use qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care and ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.
“I’m very proud of our respiratory team’s work and their adherence to strict safety and quality standards,” said Nelson Lazo, Mariners Hospital CEO. “The significance of this national recognition is that patients who come to Mariners can be assured of receiving the highest quality respiratory care.”
Mariners respiratory department handles both inpatient and outpatient care. In the hospital, respiratory therapists treat patients in the emergency room, intensive care unit and medical/surgical unit. The therapists provide a wide range of breathing treatments and other services to people with conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer.
Mariners also offers outpatient respiratory services through its cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program, which helps patients with respiratory or cardiac disabilities. The pulmonary function laboratory is another outpatient area where respiratory therapists play a leading part in helping to diagnose asthma, emphysema and other pulmonary problems.
The respiratory department also operates the Mariners Sleep Center, where patients undergo sleep studies to help in the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and related breathing disorders.
Mariners Hospital is part of Baptist Health, the area’s largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization. Baptist Health also includes Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute and Baptist Outpatient Services. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization's fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities affiliated with Baptist Health. |