Expanding professional roles for respiratory care practitioners

Expanded roles for RCPs in current and future health care delivery systems call for reforms in how we educate, manage, and utilize RCPs. If we desire to be vital health care professionals, then we must embrace issues of responsibility and accountability in current health care systems, so that the actions of RCPs reflect competent professional practice. Responsibility and accountability lie with each individual practitioner as well as with our educators, managers, medical directors, and leaders. We must do a better job with professional education, continuing education, and utilization of our human resources if we expect to compete for additional duties and responsibilities as health care professionals. We must also achieve the appropriate institutional and regulatory support so that expanded professional roles for advanced-level RCPs are possible.

Duke Scholars

Author Neil Ross MacIntyre Jr. Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine