National Respiratory Care Week: Opportunities in the Respiratory Community

Published in Respiratory & Sleep on October 24, 2022

Each year, National Respiratory Care Week is dedicated to spreading awareness about the importance of respiratory therapists and the role that the respiratory community plays in the home medical equipment (HME) industry as a whole. This year, National Respiratory Care Week is Oct. 23-29, 2022, and Boone Lockard, Director of VGM Respiratory, shared his thoughts on the trends and opportunities he sees happening in the respiratory community.

“Respiratory Care Week is very near and dear to us at VGM and the respiratory community here,” said Lockard. “It's a time for the unsung heroes that are respiratory therapists to receive credit and recognition for what they do on a daily basis for patients and the industry.”

Value-Based Care

There is a lot of opportunity for respiratory therapists, particularly in the homecare setting as the value and outcome-based homecare model is sweeping the industry.

“Like many providers in the HME industry, the respiratory community and homecare industry are facing challenges such as staffing issues,” said Lockard. “However, the outcome-based/value-based care model is going to provide a lot of opportunity for respiratory therapist in the very near future.”

With the challenge of hospitals paying more than what the majority of homecare providers can afford, Lockard predicts that respiratory therapists in the home will manage a higher-acuity patient.

“The patients that a respiratory therapist will care for in the home in the future are going to be higher acuity,” said Lockard.

Bringing Respiratory to Forefront

Spreading awareness for the importance of respiratory therapists to patient care was propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic brought our profession to the limelight, and the opportunities for therapist moving forward are almost endless, especially in the homecare setting,” said Lockard. “We're proud of what we do as respiratory therapists on a daily basis, and it's nice to have this week to reflect back on all of the patients we've taken care of and the camaraderie that is instilled upon the respiratory community."

VGM thanks all of those who work in the respiratory community, and we look forward to continuing to spotlight their dedication to the HME industry and the overall care for their patients.

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