It's Simple. Patients with pulmonary disease need specialized care, consultation and education that is best provided by a Respiratory Therapist. The utilization of Respiratory Therapists in the outpatient setting such as the physicians office would lead to proper disease management,education, and prevention. The problem is that medicare will not pay for Respiratory Therapy services outside of the hospital so we focus on treating exacerbations rather than preventing them costing people their lives as well as costing the US billions a year.



COPD is the 3rd leading cause of death in the United states



More than 11 MILLION people are diagnosed with COPD each year.



According to a 2014 article from the CDC the cost for the medical traetment of COPD could be as much as 90billion by the year 2020.



As a Registered Respiratory Therapist working in both Acute Care and in the Pulmonary Function Laboratory I encounter patients everyday that are not having their disease managed properly due to a lack of appropriate healthcare providers.