The RTSO Continues to Evolve with Our Health Industry: A Message from our President, Rob Bryan, RRT

Colleagues and Friends,

I would like to first extend a wish for a healthy and prosperous 2010 and a hope that during these turbulent times, life brings opportunities for these challenges to be met and successful outcomes to arise.

2009 was a challenging year for the Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario that saw our front office management change, a re-branding of the association and a redevelopment of the RTSO website and front office IT/IS support systems. The year finished with an extensive preparedness and support plan for the H1N1 pandemic. As we reflect back on last years achievements, spring 2010 rapidly approaches with all indicators pointing towards a tremendous year of growth for the RTSO.

The RTSO head office has been very busy preparing for a new membership calendar starting April 1st (as voted by the membership at the AGM in September 2009) by introducing a new web based service for on-line payment and registration. The RTSO is also pleased that it can continue to offer an affordable liability insurance plan at its current competitive rate with an increase for the aggregate coverage from $2 million to $4 million.

The RTSO continues to bring in new partners to add to the value to our association membership with the addition of BIG MOUTH productions whose promotional RT apparel will be available through the RTSO website. We continue to actively investigate opportunities to collaborate with other associations to support and add value to the professional interest of RRTs in Ontario as well, so keep your ear to the ground for news and updates on the website at www.rtso.ca regarding these initiatives.

Here is a list of benefits that you are presently entitled to with your membership that are provided by our RTSO partners:

• RTSO stethoscope program (3M & Futuremed)
• Internet services (TCN)
• Personal taxation (Doxsee & Shimizu accounting services)
• Auto and home insurance (H.L. Staebler insurance)
• audio/video for your events (Groovy Concepts)

During H1N1 this past fall and winter, the RTSO responded at many different levels to support and protect the professional interest of RRTs in Ontario through several key initiatives:

• The RTSO was part of a joint communiqué with the CRTO and CSRT to help outline each organization's role during the outbreak.
• The RTSO also participated in a working group with the CRTO to advise the MOH regarding respiratory equipment as well as ventilator stockpiles and logistics.
• The RTSO liaised with a columnist from the Globe and Mail and was quoted in an article raising awareness about the role and expertise of RRTs in Ontario during the H1N1 outbreak.
• The RTSO hosted several OTN sessions that brought a face to face communication tool for RT leaders from across the province spanning from Chatham and London to Hamilton, Toronto, Oshawa, Kingston and Ottawa, all the way up to Huntsville and Northern Ontario. Thank you to Noreen Chan for her tremendous leadership during the H1N1 pandemic and her handling of the OTN initiative.
• The RTSO website dedicated a portion of the home page to pandemic planning through the pandemic practice corner that included MOH IHN updates and pandemic guidelines, RT department and RRT registries and pandemic discussion forums. Also included were links with the CRTO and CSRT websites, electronic operator reference material for the ventilators chosen for the MOH ventilator surge capacity stockpile and articles of interest related to H1N1. Pandemic planning and related guideline links, inter-hospital respiratory therapy shared protocols, policy and procedures, pandemic power point presentations, and PPE and influenza hygiene guidance were also provided.

The RTSO Board of Directors had a strategic planning day in January and set forth an aggressive agenda that will help ensure the viability of the RTSO well into the future. Our planning day was primarily centered on building up our key RT networks across the province with a particular emphasis on RT leadership, entrance to practice and student programs, and our valued respiratory care vendors.

Focuses for the RTSO for 2010 are: 

• To enhance inter-facility transfer of knowledge and collaboration
• To promote the profession of respiratory therapy and new practice initiatives
• To support excellence in respiratory care through web based learning initiatives
• To support province wide networking and communications through advanced telecommunication technologies and to investigate new web technologies that can be integrated into the RTSO website.
• The RTSO is also actively investigating opportunities to collaborate with the CSRT on initiatives to promote the practice of respiratory therapy and enhance professional advocacy both provincially and nationally.

We are very proud to say that in this short period of time since the strategic planning day the RTSO board is well on their way to meeting these goals. 2010 holds many exciting opportunities for Respiratory Therapists and the RTSO including a few initiatives mentioned in this issue of Airwaves. The RTSO is now in the midst of a collaborative plan with e-learning specialists Discovery Campus to develop web based education/ learning modules to support evidence based learning from the conveniences and leisure of the RTSO website. Further, there are new enhancements to the RTSO website www.rtso.ca planned for this year including web merchandising - the RTSO store, new e-learning modules, and the RT Department highlight. The Pandemic Practice Corner will be changed to Professional Practice Corner in the near future to include clinical and professional topics of interest.

The RTSO is also collaborating with the West Park Hospital who is designated as a center of excellence in Long Term Ventilation. The goal is to create awareness and improve access to web based education tools for RRTs from across the province to use in their daily practices to help educate patients and their caregivers on how to incorporate complex respiratory care, such as a tracheostomy care and/or long term ventilation therapy, as part of their activities of daily living. Please read the article by Carlos Bautista and Laura Watling from West Park Hospital in this issue of Airwaves regarding this unique collaboration with the RTSO.

At this time, the RTSO would also like to congratulate and thank the CRTO for their leadership on the Health Force Ontario project. Please see the project highlights in this issue of Airwaves by Dianne Johnson, RRT - Project Coordinator. The name of the article is Optimizing Respiratory Therapy Services: A Continuum of Care from Hospital to Home which was funded through HFO's Optimizing Use of Health Provider Competency Fund.

Finally, the education committee is presently working on a couple of projects with the fall forum planning almost nearing completion. Congratulations to the education committee for their time and commitment to continued education and a job well done. This year's forum has been expanded to 2 days to accommodate an exciting program and a Friday evening social including a jazz band, awards ceremony, dinner, DJ and a special guest speaker.

Thank you again for supporting your practice through RTSO membership.

Sincerely, Rob Bryan RRT

RTSO President