Becoming a CoARC Site Visitor
5.03 Policy

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT AS A SITE VISIT TEAM MEMBER:

To be eligible to become a site visit team member, an individual must meet or exceed all the qualifications for one (1) of the three categories (A-C):

A. Academic Team Member:

1. At least three (3) years of experience as a Program Director or Director of Clinical Education within the last 10 years at program(s) holding continuing accreditation; 

2. At least five (5) years as an NBRC-credentialed registered respiratory therapist;

3. Earned baccalaureate degree or higher from an academic institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE);

4. Demonstrated active involvement in the profession of respiratory care (e.g., membership in professional organizations, credentialing, and research record;

5. Has played a significant role in developing or contributing to the self-study report; and was involved in a site visit.

B. Physician Team Member:

1. At least three (3) years as a Board-certified, licensed physician, credentialed at or has been credentialed at one of the clinical affiliates of a CoARC-accredited program, with recognized qualifications, by training and/or experience, in the management of respiratory disease and in respiratory care practices;

2. Hold appropriate state credentials to practice or be a retired physician in good standing who is otherwise qualified as determined by the CoARC;

3. Demonstrated active involvement in the profession of respiratory care (e.g., membership in professional organizations, specialization, or research record).

C. Sleep Specialist Team Member:

1. At least three (3) years of experience as a faculty member within the last 10 years at program(s) holding initial or continuing accreditation;

2. At least five (5) years as an NBRC-credentialed registered respiratory therapist;

3. At least three (3) years as an NBRC-credentialed sleep disorders specialist (SDS) or BRPT-credentialed registered polysomnographic technologist;

4. Earned associate degree or higher from an academic institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE);

5. Demonstrated active involvement in the profession of respiratory care and polysomnography (e.g., membership in professional organizations, credentialing, and research record).

D. Degree Advancement Site Team Member:

1. At least three (3) years of experience as a faculty member within a degree advancement program and/or currently serves as the program director for a degree advancement program;

2. At least five (5) years as an NBRC-credentialed registered respiratory therapist; or meet the criteria as a physician team member who has experience with degree advancement education;

3. Developed a respiratory care degree advancement program in its entirety and/or has developed courses within the program;

4. Earned master’s degree or higher from an academic institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).

CONTINUED QUALIFICATION AS A SITE VISIT TEAM MEMBER:

Once initially qualified, the site team member must:

1. Maintain active status (see Appointment Process in Site Visitor Manual pg. 7-8);

2. Complete all required retraining;

3. Maintain an updated Site Visitor Participation Agreement on file at the CoARC Executive Office upon request;

4. Provide an updated Curriculum Vitae, CoARC CV Outline, or Bio sketch on file at the CoARC Executive Office upon request;

5. Provide a current CoARC-approved professional headshot upon request.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT AS A SITE VISIT TEAM CAPTAIN:

To be eligible to become a site visit team captain, an individual must meet or exceed all the following qualifications:

1. Satisfactory completion of at least five (5) or more site visits as a team member.
a. Satisfactory completion is defined as receiving no unfavorable evaluations from either the team captain or the program’s site visited;

2. Working knowledge of the CoARC Standards and Site Visitor Manual;

3. Recommendation by the Site Visit Committee to the CoARC for approval.

CONTINUED QUALIFICATIONS AS A SITE VISIT TEAM CAPTAIN:

Once initially qualified as a site visit team captain, the site team captain must continue to abide by all requirements for maintaining qualification as a site visit team member (see above).

APPOINTMENT:

A. Application Process
The applicant’s record must demonstrate that s/he meets the initial qualifications, can provide evidence as an active participant in the respiratory care education community and is therefore well-qualified to represent the CoARC in the accreditation process. 

The CoARC accepts applications on an as-needed basis.  Qualified persons wishing to be selected as site visitors must first submit a current (less than 6 months old) curriculum vitae (CV) to Bonnie Marrs, Senior Accreditation Specialist (bonnie@coarc.com). Once the CV has been approved by the SV Chairs/Committee, the applicant will be contacted to submit the following: 

  • completed CoARC Site Visitor Application  
  • completed SV Application CV 
  • verification of credentials 
  • verification of state licensure 
  • signed Site Visitor Participation Agreement 
  • evidence that the applicant has demonstrated active involvement in the profession of respiratory care (e.g., membership in professional organizations, credentialing, state and/or national presentations and research record).  
  • two (2) letters of recommendation from the Applicant’s Dean and from a current/former CoARC Commissioner or Site Visitor with at least three – five years’ experience. 

(For the physician’s application, submit two letters of recommendation from a program director and a CoARC Site Visitor) 

Once the application and supporting documentation (listed above) has been received and reviewed by the CoARC Executive Office, the applicant will be contacted to participate in a virtual interview with the SV Committee Chair/Member.  Site Visit Committee will review the completed application packet for those that have completed the virtual interview.  Those approved by the SV Committee will then be presented to the CoARC Board for a final decision. Applicants will be notified of the Commission’s decision.  If the Commission’s decision is to deny the application, the notification will include the reason(s) for the denial. 

B. Appointment Status 

  1. Provisional Status: “Provisional” status will be granted to a Commission approved applicant who has completed the site visitor training program.  To achieve active status, a provisional site visitor must: (1) complete a minimum of two (2) site visits within a 2-year period (1st site visit must be completed during the first year) with an experienced CoARC commissioner or team captain; and (2) receive satisfactory evaluations for both visits.  Exceptions to the 2-year timeline must be approved by the Chair(s) of the Site Visit Committee.  

The Site Visit Committee will determine when the status can change form Provisional to Active.  

 2.  Active Site Visitors:  “Active” status will be granted to an applicant who has successfully completed the site-visitor training, signed the Site Visitor Participation Agreement, and satisfactorily completed the provisional status. 

 

Active status for all site visitors is subject to review by the CoARC and is based upon appointment recommendations by the Site Visit Committee. If a complaint(s) has been made, the SV Chair or appointee will inform the site visitor of the complaint in writing as well as have a discussion with them to include suggestions for improvement and possibly a plan of action. 

Active status requires that site visitors participate in at least an average of one site visit per year every three years (i.e., a minimum of 3 site visits in a three-year period).  

Whenever there is a change in the CoARC Standards, all site visitors with “Active” status must complete the retraining program and submit an updated Site visitor Participation Agreement upon completion. 

Whenever an active site visitor’s program receives an adverse accreditation status from CoARC, the site visitor’s active status will be temporarily suspended.  The site visitor’s active status will be reinstated once the adverse accreditation status has been removed.  

3. Withdrawal of Appointment:  The Site Visit Committee reserves the right to remove a site visitor at any time. Individuals will be deleted from the roster of site visitors if they: (a) voluntarily resign; (b) fail to maintain active status, (c) fail to correct any deficiencies after meeting with the SV Chair, (d) violate the Terms of Participation for CoARC Site Visitors as described in the CoARC Site Visitor Participation Agreement.  

For additional information or questions concerning becoming a site visitor, please contact Bonnie Marrs, Senior Accreditation Specialist, by email at bonnie@coarc.com.

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