We clearly remember traveling to conferences in 2015 ready to sell rtNOW to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities as a telehealth solution for respiratory care.  Little did we know at the time that we would spend years educating providers about what telehealth is, let alone how our solution solves many of the problems with respiratory care that rural organizations face.

Breaking new ground in healthcare is a strange and wonderful process.  There is an excitement for the initial idea – a vision of how great healthcare could be if you can simply remove barriers.  Then comes a pilot, where you work closely with a facility until you iron out the operational details, declaring to yourself and the world that it can be done.  Then comes the first sales cycle including a definite period of time where you struggle simply to convey the concept to others.

And then there comes a point, years later, when you are recognized by the leaders in your field as the pioneers of a solution that will propel everyone forward.

This past week we were recognized by the AARC for our efforts in the creation of telerespiratory in the latest edition of the AARC Times.

This is a wonderful article, and it goes through quite a bit of our history and experiences from both the leadership and staff.

Since the interviews for the article occurred we secured our first client in another state – Missouri.  And with it, we had more “firsts” to work through.

We have a culture here at rtNOW.  It is a culture of innovation.  It is a culture of making “it” happen.

When we meet for our executive meetings, each quarter we go over our core values.  These values guide every aspect of who we are and what we hope to achieve.  We set a vision for the future, and our values guide that process.  I believe it is appropriate to reflect on these values today.  Values such as:

We innovate simple solutions.
We decisively improve.
We are respiratory experts.
We are professionally approachable.
We make it happen.
We follow through.
We empower people.

However, as we begin to be recognized as the world’s leading authorities in the emerging field of telerespiratory, one seems to ring louder  than the rest:

We are respiratory experts.

rtNOW was created by respiratory therapists.  A group of experts who were, and are, the best in their field.  And as such, rtNOW is more than just a business, it is a passion, and an extension.  It is an extension of some of the best therapists in the world to deliver the best possible respiratory therapy to patients.  And a passion to see the patient have the best care possible.  And more than anything, out of a desire to empower respiratory care at every point along the way.

It is good to see that the passion we have is catching on and empowering people.