American Association for Respiratory Care


The American Association for Respiratory Care is a non profit organization and is the only professional organization supporting Respiratory Care in the United States. In addition to attempting to help lobby for beneficial legislation nationally and locally, the AARC is trying to promote the profession as a whole to increase interest and membership. The AARC began in 1943, as the Inhalation Technician Association and has evolved rapidly and repeatedly since.

Mission

"The American Association for Respiratory Care will continue to be the leading national and international professional association for respiratory care. The AARC will encourage and promote professional excellence, advance the science and practice of respiratory care, and serve as an advocate for patients, their families, the public, the profession and the respiratory therapist."

Publications

The AAIT began publishing a journal called Inhalation Therapy in 1956.

History

The University of Chicago Hospital forms the Inhalation Therapy Association in 1946 and in 1947 the ITA is chartered as a non-profit entity in the state of Illinois.
The ITA was renamed American Association of Inhalation Therapists in 1954, and changed its name again in 1966 to American Association of Inhalation Therapy.
The AAIT was renamed the American Association of Respiratory Therapy in 1973 and finally took the current name of American Association of Respiratory Care in 1986.

Affiliations

The AARC has several organizations with which they have an affiliation; some of these include: