According to the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), there is only one accredited respiratory (RESP) care program in Â鶹´«Ã½, and that program is at Kapiʻolani Community College.

Kapiʻolani °ä°ä’s RESP program recently received its ninth Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award from CoARC. In addition, Kapiʻolani CC was only one of 26 programs out of 448 programs nationwide to receive a President’s Award for Excellence in Credentialing Success.

CoARC’s mission assures that “accreditation provides consumer protection and advances and enhances the profession of Respiratory Care, and protects against compromise of educational quality.” To emphasize this importance, CoARC began the distinguished awards program 10 years ago. Kapiʻolani CC is focused on the need to assist in delivering quality healthcare by providing an excellent program to the state of Â鶹´«Ã½. Lisa Radak, dean of health academic programs, applauds the dedication of the RESP faculty.

“Program Director Bob Vega and colleagues Jung Eun Kim, Aaron Koseki and Ed Borza provide unwavering support to their students. Success is an integral part of their bonding,” Radak said.

According to CoARC president Pat Munzer, the CoARC Board used objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the 2020 Annual Report of Current Status. Programs were required to: (1) have three or more years of excellent outcomes data; (2) document RRT credentialing success of 100%; and (3) meet or exceed established CoARC accreditation thresholds.

Vega added that 100% of Kapiʻolani CC’s graduates have been certified and registered as RRTs since 2008.

“This past year was challenging because of the pandemic,” Vega said. “We therefore want to gratefully acknowledge each of our clinical affiliates whose efforts to help our students complete their clinical training were extraordinary.”

Kapiʻolani Community College’s will receive the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) for the eighth consecutive year. This award uses a professional standard to measure the program’s effectiveness by inspiring its graduates to strive for their highest achievements.

According to Respiratory Care Program Director Robert Vega, 100 percent of Kapiʻolani CC’s graduates have been certified and registered as RRTs since 2008.

“I congratulate Dr. Vega and the Respiratory Care Program faculty. To earn this award, the program had to meet specific criteria to include credentialing exam success. The national average pass rate for the certified respiratory therapist exam is 93 percent. Kapiʻolani Community College’s Respiratory Care Program continues to attain 100 percent exam pass rates year after year. This award acknowledges dedication and success in excellence in educating future respiratory therapists,” said Lisa Radak, Kapiʻolani CC dean of health academy programs.

In determining the award, CoARC used objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the 2019 Annual Report of Current Status. Competing programs were required to:

1. have three or more years of outcomes data;
2. hold accreditation without a progress report;
3. document RRT credentialing success of 90 percent above, and;
4. meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for certified respiratory therapist credentialing success and retention.

There are approximately 450 respiratory programs throughout the U.S., and CoARC began its distinguished awards program 9 years ago. Kapiʻolani CC has received this award for 8 of the 9 years, putting it in the top 3 percent of competing programs nationwide.