Lehigh Valley Hospital Respiratory Therapy Team Earns High Honors From Pennsylvania Society for Respiratory Care

The Pennsylvania Society for Respiratory Care (PSRC) named Lehigh Valley Hospital’s respiratory department “department of the year” for 2023. Health care organizations that receive this honor must meet the PSRC’s rigorous requirements, which include care metrics and evidence of a health care organization’s commitment to providing education opportunities for physicians, nurses, medical staff and the community.

Matthew Pavlichko, MS, RRT, President, PSRC, presented the respiratory team with the award during a ceremony at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest on June 7.  

“Respiratory teams that win this award need to demonstrate their ability to treat patients at the highest level and also have a drive to constantly learn and grow,” Pavlichko says. “Lehigh Valley Hospital’s respiratory care team consistently exceeds the standards of care, and earning this award is evidence of that.”

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) is proactive in providing advanced training and education opportunities for all colleagues who work in respiratory care. LVHN is the only health care organization in the region to organize and host respiratory care conferences and is also a primary clinical site for residents and fellows who are studying respiratory care.

“Our respiratory therapists are so well-deserving of this recognition,” says Kenneth Miller, MEd, MSRT, Educational Coordinator, Respiratory Care at LVHN. “They’re an amazing group of colleagues who are well-educated and well-prepared to provide the high-quality, evidence-based care our patients expect and deserve.”

LVHN’s successes in respiratory care are rooted in commitment to excellence at all levels. Therapists have the tools and training to treat a range of people and ages, from the youngest babies to elderly adults.

“LVHN’s respiratory department is unparalleled,” says Rovinder Sandhu, MD, Deputy Physician in Chief, Value Proposition, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence. “The level of care our respiratory therapists provide for our patients is the result of dedicated, compassionate colleagues and great leadership that ensures colleagues receive the best training and education opportunities available.”

LVHN’s respiratory therapists receive extensive training and treat patients using evidence-based protocols which standardize processes, giving our therapists the tools and knowledge to provide high-quality care. A full-time educator is also available around the clock to provide invaluable insights and answer questions respiratory therapists may have.

“The respiratory care team is compassionate, professional and knowledgeable, and I’m proud to be part of this team,” says Daniel Ofak, Director, Respiratory Care and Pastoral Care Services, LVHN. “Colleagues who are on this team go above and beyond for their patients each day, and being recognized as ‘department of the year’ is a huge honor for us all.”

Here are five reasons LVHN is a great place to work as a respiratory therapist:

• Level I Trauma Center, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and largest ER in Pennsylvania with protocols driven by respiratory therapists
• Nine specialized intensive care units and the only Burn Recovery Center for adults and children in northeastern Pennsylvania  
• Adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation program and use of VDR ventilator in adults and pediatrics
• Ability to intubate NICU patients, join respiratory therapy NICU transport team and attend all high-risk deliveries
• Support of full-time clinical educator, full-time pediatric clinical coordinator and adult day-shift and night-shift clinical coordinators