Delta, CO (December 1, 2022) – Delta Health is excited to announce that Kevin Fischer, RRT, FAARC, and Cardiopulmonary/Radiology Director, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) and the Colorado Respiratory Care Society (CRCS).
Three Registered Respiratory Therapists are nominated nationwide each year, and in order to be nominated must meet a variety of criteria. Once nominated, a committee of select physicians and respiratory therapists review the nominations.
“I wasn’t made aware that I was even nominated until I received a call telling me I was one of the individuals selected for the Award,” said Fischer. “To put into words what it feels like to receive this award is almost impossible. It is wonderful to know that I was selected by my peers who felt that my life’s work was worthy of a nomination. It makes me feel like maybe I’ve made a positive difference in the area of medicine that has been my life for almost 45 years.”
Fischer has been at Delta Health since January 2019. He was born at Delta Health Hospital (at the time Delta County Memorial Hospital) and said that it is a dream to start his life at Delta Health but to also spend the last chapter of his work life there as well.
“Delta Health is honored to have such an accomplished professional as Director of two vital healthcare teams – Cardiopulmonary and Radiology,” said Jody Roeber, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Delta Health. “Kevin is a true representative of the quality healthcare services that can be found locally and here at Delta Health. He goes above and beyond by providing remarkable care.”
Some of the criteria to be nominated for the prestigious award include more than 35 consecutive years working as a Registered Respiratory Therapist, having been nominated for other regional awards, and having served at a national level with the AARC in different capacities.
“I’ve been not only a State of Colorado Board of Directors member numerous times, but I have also been on the AARCH House of Delegates for eight years, AARC Nominations Chair for two years, and am going on my 25th year as a member of the AARC PACT (Political Action Team),” said Fischer. “I’ve also been lucky enough to be selected as a Fellow of the American Association of Respiratory Care (FAARC) as there are less than 20 RTs worldwide selected each year for this designation.”
Lastly, nominees have to be involved in their respective communities in a positive way, and Fischer is on the Board of Directors (BOD) for the regional board of the American Lung Association, the regional BOD for the American Heart Association and is the licensure liaison representing the CRCS to the State of Colorado Department of Regulatory Affairs (DORA), RRT licensure division.
Fischer’s career started at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction as a Staff Respiratory Therapist after completing a Cardiovascular Intensivist program (MA) at Stanford University in California. He went on to serve as a Regional Manager for the Pediatric Services of America in Georgia, a Chief Operating Officer for a Pharmacy company in Anchorage, Alaska, and a PRN Flight Therapist where he would fly with Rotor Craft and Fixed Wing Craft to transport critically ill patients. During that time, he worked with the Coast Guard to coordinate patient flights between Russia, Japan and the Pacific Rim.
Fischer continued on in Supervising and Director positions at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction before coming to Delta Health in 2019. He currently manages the Cardiopulmonary Department, Sleep Lab, Echocardiology, Pulmonology, Diagnostics, Radiology, CT, MR, Ultrasound, Mammography and more.
“It is humbling to know that someone notices the work that we do, and that we do make a difference,” said Fischer. “It is a privilege to work with the amazing Delta Health team and to come to work every day. Delta Health and Delta County are lucky to have such outstanding healthcare professionals. I am truly proud to be a Delta Health employee.”
To learn more about the Delta Health Cardiopulmonary and Radiology departments, visit deltahealthco.org/diagnostic-imaging/ or call 970.874.7681.
