It started microscopically small with a tiny coronavirus in Asia mutating into a new strain and grew into a worldwide media phenomenon. As Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) grabbed headlines, wreaked havoc on travel-related businesses, and flooded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with anxious calls, the public perception of risk far outpaced reality.

Yes, SARS may have claimed more than 200 lives worldwide, but the figure pales in comparison to the 110,000 lives lost each year to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthmatic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), illnesses that respiratory care and product providers battle every day.

Perhaps because of the nature of chronic illnesses, they are not the frightening or salacious stuff that sell newspapers and draw television watchers, but they are arguably much more important. According to the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), Dallas, COPD alone costs Americans about $17 billion per year in medical costs, hospitalizations, and physician visits, and it is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.

For this reason, we are devoting a portion of our Medtrade Spring issue to the topic of respiratory care. Starting on page 32, expert-contributed articles provide information on a variety of topics related to running a successful home respiratory care company in a nation where the federal government does not even recognize the therapy associated with providing oxygen, respiratory medications, and respiratory and sleep products as anything more than an administrative expense bundled into the payment. I am so pleased to provide a forum to get this information out to the home health care community.

However, there is one aspect of respiratory care close to my heart that we do not cover in the “Focus on Respiratory” section, and that is political advocacy. So please excuse me while I climb up on my soapbox and address this topic here.

On April 17, AARC members traveled to Washington, DC, to meet with their elected officials on the need for proper reimbursement for home respiratory care. Next month it will be this industry’s turn. The American Association for Homecare is hosting its annual Washington Conference on June 2-4, and this year it is open to all home health care companies, whether they are members or not.

Last year, fears of national competitive bidding created a record attendance at the conference, and the industry was able to dodge that bullet. But does this mean it is safe to sit at home this year and let someone else advocate for the home health care industry? No, of course not.

If we can learn anything from the SARS example, it is that often what is not making headlines is a much greater danger than what is. The health care funding issues that led Congress to almost pass competitive bidding last year have not gone away. The legislators will certainly pick up this topic again, unless the industry continues to make clear that this is an unworkable payment method and far too controversial an issue for them to bother with.

So, register at www.aahomecare.org, book your flight and hotel, and come meet me in Washington, DC. Your industry depends on it.

Lena Lindahl
llindahl@medpubs.com