I was honored to be the city host for this year's fellow, Valeria Berghe Schor, PT. Ms. Schor is a physical therapist from Sao Paulo, Brazil who specializes in respiratory care.  As part of her post-graduate work, Valeria is also involved in clinical research focusing on therapies for acute lung injury using animal models.

Valeria was in Boise for a week and spent time visiting with respiratory therapists and physicians at the three major hospitals in Boise: Saint Alphonsus RMC, St. Luke's RMC, and Veterans' Hospital. She also visited Mercy Medical Center in Nampa and with Respiratory Care faculty at Boise State University. What impressed Valeria most was how similarly respiratory care is practiced from one facility to another within the United States. In addition to Boise, Valeria has visited hospitals in Seattle and Boston, so she has a good perspective for her comments. She told me that in Brazil, respiratory care is practiced very differently from hospital to hospital, even within the same city.

In addition to her visits with the staffs of the various hospitals she was able to spent some "off-time" with some of our local volunteers. Conrad Colby and his wife Sharon graciously offered their mountain home in McCall the weekend she arrived. Valeria was able to snow ski and see some of the sights of McCall. Ms. Schor also loves to shop and Nola Darling spent an afternoon with her at the mall, indulging the urge to spend. Valeria was my guest for a home cooked meal and provided a great cultural experience for my family. The evening before she left for the AARC International Congress in Las Vegas, she was invited to a Steelheads hockey game, which she really enjoyed.

I would like to thank all those who helped make Valeria's visit a success: Conrad Colby for being a host and chauffeur, Nola Darling for assisting me with the Fellowship application process and helping Valeria spend her money, and all the site hosts: Dave Shuldes, Nola Darling, Lonny Ashworth, and Chris Holmes. I would also like to thank all the therapists who worked with Valeria and built bridges of goodwill between Boise and Sao Paulo. It is my understanding that Lonny Ashworth, BSU, has invited Valeria to guest teach and that she has tentatively accepted the invitation. We look forward to her return visit.

I want each of you to know that our profession is growing.  In December 2002 we had 168 active members of our State Society, but in November 2003 we reached 238 active members. The AARC reported at the House of Delegates meeting in Las Vegas that national membership is now over 33,000.  Our numbers are growing and you are the ones responsible for it. Continue to encourage your colleagues to be members of the AARC of Idaho. We can continue to grow, but it starts with each of you. I challenge you to recruit one new member this year. If every member were to recruit just one more member we would be a lot stronger.  We need you and you need us.

I would also encourage you to run for an ISRC Board position. If you have never been on the Board, do it.  If you have been on the Board, do it again. You won't ever know what the ISRC is doing unless you are a part of it.  If you are interested, contact Michele Andrew or myself.  My e-mail address is NBybee@mmhnet.org. 

I will end by inviting each of you to attend our Fall Conference to be held September 9th and 10th in Lewiston.  Plan now to be there.

If you have answered NO to any of these questions, please log on to AARC.ORG.

Have you ever treated a patient in the hospital who was being kept just because they will not have a Respiratory Care Provider overlooking their care at home and the physician is uncomfortable discharging without that oversight?

Well have I got a deal for you. The bill introduced July 2003 called HR 2905 is a request to change the language of the Medicare Practice Act to include Respiratory Care as part of the Allied Health Professions. Currently Nursing, Physical Therapy and Speech Pathology are covered as reimbursable through Medicare but Respiratory Care is not. In short, you can learn to speak at home but you are not allowed to breathe.  So patients stay in skilled nursing facilities or hospitals for longer because of the need for Respiratory Care, or are discharged with their needs unmet and are re-admitted for worsening conditions. Ask your Home Care Nurses how they would feel having a skilled visit or two of their approved visits changed to Respiratory Care visits to streamline the patient's respiratory needs.

Here is what is needed to get Congress to pass this bill. Letters, Letters, Letters. Send E-Mail, Snail Mail, make personal visits to the congressmen, and make phone calls asking them to support this bill. Encourage your family, friends, your patients, and their families across the state to join in this effort. This is nationwide and will affect Respiratory Care Practitioners over the full spectrum of cares. For more information, contact Renie Johnson. Home phone 208 452-2042, E-mail reniejohnson@aol.com.

Do you meet or know of someone who meets the qualifications stated below and would benefit from a scholarship to help them continue their education?

1. Student in a formal CRT or RRT program and residing in the state of Idaho 
2. Completed one year of an RT program 
3. An AARC member 

Jean Woodward, the state “Asthma Program Czar” (Program Manager, Asthma Prevention and Control Program) has announced that the Asthma Educator Institute will occur on August 11-13 at a yet to be determined site in Boise. There will be lectures and workshops taught by pharmacists, nurses and RCPs . Projected individual cost for the 2 ½ day training is $350. There are partial scholarships available for members of local asthma coalitions.

Certification as an Asthma Educator is facilitated by the National Asthma Educator Certification Board (NAECB). The testing for this certificate is not part of the upcoming workshop, but the successful workshop participant should be optimally prepared to attempt that test. A description of the exam and exam sites can be seen at www.naecb.org.

To get involved with the Asthma Educator Institute get in touch with your local asthma coalition

AARC President David Shelledy detailed that there is a reduction in respiratory care student enrollment nationally and a decreased number of practitioners are taking credentialing examinations. He also discussed CoARC working toward making all graduates registry eligible and the AARC’s support of Associate Degree education and the drive to advance to Baccalaureate and Master's levels.

AARC update and Executive Office Report from Kevin Shrake detailed an increase in membership over the last four months by implementing new programs with respiratory care educational programs at universities. The Ambassador program has also been successful at increasing membership. AARC has become business partners with industries including Cardinal Health, Sepracor, Masimo, Bayer, Boehringer Ingleheim, Nellcor-Puritan Bennett, and Monaghan.

AARC update and Executive Office Report by Sam Giordano detailed a request by the Joint Commission to appoint a Point of Care Testing Advisory Committee. He also reports that respiratory therapists have presented abstracts at the COPD Coalition Conference and encourages home COPD evaluations. The AARC is continuing the collaboration with National Lung Health Organization to increase public relations as an opportunity to reinforce professional issues. Medicare Practice Act Bill HR 2905 still needs a Senator to introduce it as a companion bill. We do have lots of support but need more in the right places. A Revenue Share Contract was sent out to all Affiliates with instructions that the Affiliates respond in the contract negotiation stage. 

The AARC Political Action Committee raised funds at the Las Vegas International Respiratory Congress by holding a raffle. Prizes to be raffled were valued at $1200.

NBRC reported that examination participation has decreased from 2002 for all exams administered and currently 10,783 people are Advanced Practice graduates who have never sat for or passed either portion of the examination. Many have taken and are using Entry Level Certification. Respiratory Therapy credentialing was achieved in Latin America. NBRC is considering requests from CoARC for alternative mechanisms for measuring Advanced Programs outcomes.

Governmental Affairs reports that HR 2905 has a sponsor but still needs to be introduced. We need more letters written to Congress.

State Governmental Affairs reported that many states had their Respiratory Care Practice Acts opened for Polysomnography issues and use of EMT/Paramedics in hospitals for covering staff issues. Most came out favorably for the respiratory care profession.

American Respiratory Care Foundation reported that the Silent Auction donations totaled $73,653 to be auctioned off. There were 18 Recognition Awards granted and the International Fellowship Program had 6 fellows to 12 cities (Boise being one again - Kudos).

The Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care reports that they are working with national educational programs to come up with a valuable reporting outcome measure for achievement of NBRC Advanced Level Credential. The Helmholz Lecture this year focused on “Disaster Preparedness: Preparing Your Students and Staff for Biochemical Bioterrorism”. They are also developing site visits adapted to “alternative curricula” like tele-courses and home based study programs.

A more complete summary of the House of Delegates meeting, including Resolutions, is on the ISRC web site (idasrc.org). 

Complete the volunteer form at http://www.idasrc.org/disaster_response_application_form.html. If you have further questions, contact:

The Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) is now part of Homeland Security. Joining this team does require considerable binding obligations. If selected to be part of this team, you will spend a considerable amount of money for your personal supplies. Also, if you are part of this team and they call for an emergency response, you will be expected to respond (if called you will have 8 hours from HI to FLY). You would be expected to work in possibly very inhospitable environments until relieved by backup teams. If interested contact Lande Lambert.

President Elect Nolan Bybee called the meeting to order.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

Treasurer’s report: Nolan reported that the money was sent to the Asthma camp and to the AARC for the disaster relief fund and the international fellow fund.

PACT: Renie and Con will be going to the PACT meeting in Washington D.C. in March. Nolan passed out an article from the American Heart Association on tobacco's bad effects.  We all need to get behind our legislators to support the up-coming legislation on strengthening the Clean Indoor Air laws.

Committee Reports:

• Membership: Renie reported that she sent postcards to lapsed and close to lapsing ISRC members.  All BSU Respiratory Therapy students, faculty and support staff are non-active members of the AARC.  This deal was struck in the hope of retaining the students when they are out of school.
• Delegates: Renie went over her report from the AARC House of Delegates meeting she attended in December.  If you wish to review a copy of it, please let Renie know.
• Newsletter: The newsletter will be out in about 2 weeks.  A reminder that anything that is put on the web site must be approved by the president first.
• Nominations/Elections: No report
• Bylaws: No report

Fall conference: Martin reported on the work that he and Dana have been doing to get the conference up and running.  Several speakers have been lined up and a jet boat ride up Hells Canyon has been arranged. More work is being done to line up more funds.

New Business:

• Asthma Educator Conference: Con reported that it will take place either the first or second week of June in Boise.  The cost is $350.00, of which there will be a scholarship for all participants of $250.00.  The $100.00 will be reimbursed to all who pass the national test.  There is room for 50 people at this time.  A motion was made to give $500.00 to the conference to help with expenses.
• Dana, the president elect will be sent to the State President's meeting in Dallas in March.

Respectfully submitted,

Ramona Sailor
ISRC Secretary