The staff of Respiratory Care Services assists the physician in the diagnosis of
pulmonary illnesses and provides therapy, management and education to improve
respiratory health. Services include pulmonary function testing, arterial blood
gas analysis, mechanical ventilatory support and various respiratory treatments.
The respiratory therapists also provide important information and education
on self-management techniques that help individuals and families deal with chronic
respiratory diseases, such as asthma and COPD.
Respiratory therapists provide care to the Emergency Department and inpatients
of all ages 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Outpatient pulmonary function testing
is available Monday through Friday by physician referral and appointment.
Award-winning care
U.S. News and World Report ranked Mercy Hospital in the top 50 hospitals in
the nation in 2002, 2003 and 2004 for the care provided for respiratory illness.
In addition, Mercy, with Unity Hospital, earned the Quality Respiratory Care Recognition from the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), an award that only 10 percent of U.S. hospitals achieve.
Meet Matt, a Respiratory Care Practitioner for over 18 years who is married
and has a daughter. Matt believes the Heart & Cardiac Center program is strong because
of the many specialists who work together. "The total exceeds the sum of
our parts." When not working with respiratory patients, Matt likes to fish,
cook and garden.