When a critically ill patient’s respiratory status changes, the next decision rarely belongs to one clinician.
The intensivist brings critical care expertise. Nurses see changes in the patient hour by hour. Respiratory therapists understand how the patient is responding to oxygen, noninvasive respiratory support, or mechanical ventilation. Each perspective matters, and the strongest care models bring them together.
That is why respiratory therapists are an essential part of Access TeleCare’s approach to telePulmonology and Critical Care.
During Respiratory Care Week, Access TeleCare recognizes the respiratory therapists working alongside physicians, nurses, and other clinicians to care for patients through some of their most acute and complex moments.
When the Care Team Had to Decide What Came Next
At one rural hospital we partner with, a 50-year-old patient admitted for a gastrointestinal bleed deteriorated significantly over several hours. The patient became confused and had a severely low blood pH before being moved to the ICU for a higher level of care.
The hospital team followed its established telemedicine protocol and activated Access TeleCare’s involvement. A teleCritical Care specialist evaluated the patient virtually and began working with the on-site ICU nurses and respiratory therapists on a plan.
The team faced an important question: Did the patient need to be intubated and placed on invasive mechanical ventilation?
After consultation, the clinicians opted instead to use BiPAP to support the patient’s breathing. The patient stabilized without intubation.
The Access TeleCare specialist continued following the patient virtually and coordinating with the bedside team, including the respiratory therapist, throughout the day. When the next teleCritical Care specialist took over, the patient’s care plan followed, supporting continuity across shifts.
The patient was ultimately discharged home without ever requiring invasive ventilation or transfer to another facility.
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More Than a Consult on a Screen
That kind of collaboration distinguishes an integrated teleCritical Care program from episodic virtual coverage.
Access TeleCare specialists work as an embedded extension of the hospital team. Through structured rounds, proactive patient management and on-demand support, they work alongside on-site physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and other clinicians as care decisions unfold.
Respiratory therapists are particularly important to that model. Their bedside assessments and expertise in respiratory support give the intensivist critical information about how a patient is responding and what may need to change.
For hospitals without consistent on-site access to pulmonologists or intensivists, that integration can help strengthen the care already being delivered locally. It gives bedside teams access to specialty expertise while helping hospitals build the clinical capability to manage appropriate higher-acuity patients in-house.
Every Breath Is Teamwork
Respiratory Care Week recognizes a profession whose expertise can shape decisions at nearly every stage of pulmonary and critical care.
Access TeleCare is proud to work alongside respiratory therapists across the country who assess, communicate, intervene, and adapt as their patients’ needs change. Learn more about Access TeleCare’s telePulmonology and Critical Care program.
