Memorial Hospital's Respiratory Department evaluates and treats breathing and other cardiopulmonary disorders. The most frequent diagnoses are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, pneumonia, coronary bypass surgery (CABG), asthma and respiratory distress syndrome.

Memorial's respiratory therapists provide life support ventilation, general respiratory therapy and evaluation, and diagnostic procedures including pulmonary function and exercise testing. They also help patients set up home oxygen therapy.

Respiratory care spans a wide range of Memorial's patient population. In addition to the operating room, respiratory care is provided to the emergency department, delivery room, neonatal care, pediatrics and critical care.

The Respiratory Department is staffed 24/7 by licensed respiratory therapists. Many of our therapists have also completed advanced training and taken exams to earn their RRT or Registered Respiratory Therapist designation.

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Memorial's respiratory therapists involved in special care transport

In emergency situations, when a neonatal, maternity, or pediatric patient is transported to the hospital, a respiratory therapist is part of the transport team. This includes ground transport, helicopter transport and fixed-wing airplane transport and covers all of Southern Colorado.