VA Maryland Recognized for Excellence in Respiratory Care

The Apex Recognition Award recognizes organizations for their commitment to excellence in professional development, evidence-based care, patient safety, patient satisfaction, and quality improvement in five categories: acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, home medical equipment companies, educational programs, and dedicated transport teams.

“We are honored to receive recognition for excellence from an esteemed organization like the American Association for Respiratory Care,” said Jonathan R. Eckman, P.E., director of the VA Maryland Health Care System. “As valued members of the VA health care provider team, respiratory therapists are integral to delivering safe, quality and compassionate care to the Veterans we serve.”

To achieve the Apex Recognition Award in the acute care hospital category, facilities are required to meet 13 program standards demonstrating quality, access to care, professional development, and patient safety. The Baltimore VA Medical Center is one of just 18 acute care hospital recipients and the first and only VA health care facility in the nation to achieve this honor.

“This elite designation from the American Association of Respiratory Care demonstrates that the Baltimore VA Medical Center—and the Veterans Health Administration as an organization—priorities patient safety and outcomes through access to respiratory therapists that deliver high-quality respiratory care,” said Daniel J. Whitt, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, chief of Respiratory Care at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. “It’s my vision to lead the way across the country as other VA facilities pursue demonstration of this level of excellence.”

The VA Maryland Health Care System provides care to more than 54,000 veterans annually at three medical centers and five outpatient clinics located throughout the state. In addition to inpatient care and disease management, the Pulmonary Medicine department at the Baltimore VA Medical Center provides the following services to veteran patients: home-based pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation, an outpatient CPAP clinic, home oxygen services, and pulmonary function diagnostic testing.

The complete list of 2023-2024 Apex Recognition Award recipients can be found on the AARC website.