Regency Hospital of Central Georgia Named Quality Respiratory Care Provider.

MACON, Ga. -- Regency Hospital of Central Georgia, a Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospital that treats critically ill patients, has been named a quality respiratory care provider under a new program aimed at making sure residents in long-term care facilities have access to respiratory care services provided by qualified respiratory therapists.

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) started the Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) program in 2003 to help consumers make informed choices about their health care. The program initially enrolled hospitals that agreed to ensure patient safety by adhering to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services. Home care organizations were added to the program a year later, and this year the Association is adding long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, long-term acute care hospitals, and other long-term care facilities.

Recognized organizations are listed on the AARC's consumer web site, YOURLUNGHEALTH.org.

To qualify for the recognition, Regency Hospital of Central Georgia met the following conditions:

--All respiratory therapists employed or contracted by the long-term care facility deliver bedside respiratory care services and are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services if applicable or hold the CRT or RRT Credential in non licensure states.

--For routine care and patient assessment, Respiratory Therapists are available 24 hours a day.

--For facilities that provide ventilator management, Respiratory Therapists are available 24 hours per day within the facility.

--All ventilator systems shall have a remote external alarm system and an emergency back up power source.

--A competency based training program shall be in place for personnel administering respiratory related care.

--A doctor of medicine (preferably a Pulmonologist) or Osteopathy is designated as a medical director of respiratory care services.

--The Medical Director reviews plan of care at least weekly.

--A policy and procedure manual that is reviewed annually and addresses the provision of Respiratory Care and services is available at the facility.

--All Respiratory Therapy employees must have completed background checks.

--A Preventive maintenance program must be in place for all RT equipment.

--An established Respiratory QA/PI program must be in place.

--Respiratory Therapists provide patient assessments and make clinical recommendations regarding the service needs and resident plan of care for the respiratory impaired residents to respective Physicians.

The AARC's QRCR program began out of growing concerns among health care leaders and the general public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Organizations 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.

Respiratory Therapists (RT's) are specially trained and licensed respiratory health care professionals assisting physicians in diagnosis, treatment, and management of respiratory diseases. RT's provide care in hospitals, outpatient centers, physicians' offices, skilled nursing facilities, and patients' homes.

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is a not-for-profit, professional organization, consisting of 37,000 respiratory therapists, physicians, and other health care professionals. AARC is dedicated to assisting persons with respiratory diseases receive safe and effective respiratory care.

Regency Hospital Company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and a leading developer of Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospitals across the United States. Regency presently has sixteen hospitals open with several more in active development. Regency was formed by Rod Laughlin and Waud Capital Partners.

Waud Capital Partners, L.L.C. is a private equity investment firm founded in 1993 and located in Lake Forrest, Illinois. Waud Capital Partners has successfully completed over fifty investments in a wide range of industries, including adhesives, alarm monitoring, automotive components, coatings, consumer products, lighting, medical distribution, publishing, sealants and specialty hospitals.

For more information on Regency Hospital Company and/or Waud Capital Partners visit www.regencyhospital.com and/or www.waudcapital.com.