CoARC Symposium: Program Development, Evaluation, and Self‐analysis under the New CoARC Standards

Accreditation of respiratory care programs by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) includes a comprehensive review of the program relative to the accreditation Standards. Accreditation decisions are based on the CoARC’s review of information contained in the accreditation application and self study report, the report of site visit evaluation teams, the annual Report of Current Status, and any additional requested reports or documents submitted to the CoARC by the program. This symposium provides essential information designed to successfully navigate program faculty through the accreditation process under the new 2010 CoARC accreditation Standards that went into effect on June 1st.

CoARC’s New Accreditation Standards: Is My Program in Compliance?

David Bowton, MD, FCCP, FCCM and Kathy Rye, EdD, RRT, FAARC

Attendees will be provided with an overview of the new accreditation standards and its implications for programs and the profession. The presenter will focus on the most significant differences between the current and new Standards. Strategies for implementing programmatic changes to address compliance with the new standards will also be discussed.

Preparing Self Studies under the New Standards: What’s In? What’s Out?

Stephen Mikles EdS, RRT, FAARC and Jolene Miller MEd, RRT

This presentation will cover the strategies needed for successfully completing the newly revised self study reports. Included is a discussion of the changes made to the format and how the new reports integrate with the site visit review process. Emphasis will be placed on the steps necessary to comply with the new CoARC accreditation standards.

The Site Visitors are Coming!‐ Transitioning from Successful Self‐Study to Successful Site

Visit

Brad Leidich, MSEd, RRT, FAARC and Becki Evans, MS, RRT

This presentation focuses on how to prepare for an accreditation site visit under the new Standards; topics will be presented from the perspective of the department chair, dean, and key program faculty. General topics include planning ahead to ensure participation by key individuals; gathering and organizing essential documentation; and preparing your students, faculty, and administrators for the site visit.

What is E‐Accreditation? ‐ Introducing CoARC’s New Annual Reporting Tool

Tom Smalling, PhD, RRT, FAARC

Attendees will be provided with an overview of CoARC’s new Web‐based annual reporting tool, EAccreditation, which assists programs in their collection of annual program data and outcomes data. The presenter will demonstrate the features of the new software and discuss the differences between this and the previous reporting tool. The proposed implementation plan and April 15th, 2011 deadline will also be discussed.