Respiratory Therapy Department

The Department of Respiratory Therapy of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine was established 30 years ago. As a distinctive discipline of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the department makes full use of its international background, continuously strengthens its disciplinary characteristics, adheres to a path of professional development, boldly carries out technological innovation and talent cultivation, and actively explores new concepts in clinical diagnosis and treatment. It is currently the most comprehensive respiratory therapy department in China in terms of services provided. The department has gradually established a patient-centered, whole-process respiratory therapy management model covering the entire hospital and is promoting it nationwide.

This clinical platform department integrates clinical care, medical research, teaching for the three clinical departments, PCCM respiratory therapy, respiratory rehabilitation, and the pulmonary function laboratory. It is responsible for respiratory therapy services at the four campuses: Qingchun Campus, Qiantang Campus, Grand Canal Campus, and Shaoxing Campus. It possesses domestically first-class, fully equipped advanced medical devices. Under the guidance of the Medical Center of Loma Linda University in the United States and relying on the Zhejiang University platform, the discipline has developed further in recent years, establishing a whole-process management model for outpatient care, perioperative and post-ICU care, intensive care units, and respiratory therapy for critically ill and emergency patients. Clinical services include respiratory support for critically ill and emergency patients, pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, respiratory rehabilitation, and perioperative rehabilitation. In 2022, the department provided ventilatory support to 7 thousand person-visits, performed 30 thousand pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise tests, and conducted 50 thousand examination items throughout the year. Following 30 years of gradual development, the department has established a talent echelon composed of senior, intermediate, and junior professional and technical personnel. It currently has 60 employees, including 3 senior professional and technical personnel and 18 personnel with intermediate professional titles. One person holds a doctoral degree, 12 hold master's degrees, and one is a doctoral supervisor. Five department employees have undertaken advanced study in Europe and the United States. The academic echelon of the team is well structured, energetic, and highly motivated. The whole-hospital, whole-process respiratory therapy management system and the intelligent healthcare RespCare system for respiratory therapy, progressively improved in recent years, won Third Prize in the Precision Medicine Track of the First National Digital Health Innovation Application Competition.

The department actively promotes the development of subspecialty directions and carries out cardiopulmonary exercise testing; assessment and diagnosis of diaphragmatic dysfunction; ultrasound assessment and diagnosis of the respiratory system; application of electrical impedance tomography technology in the diagnosis and treatment of ARDS; and respiratory rehabilitation from acute and critical illness to chronic disease management. In 2017, the department joined the ERAS team for laparoscopic hepatectomy at Shaw Hospital, established graded respiratory therapy process management for ERAS perioperative patients, reduced postoperative complications, and shortened patients’ hospital stays. In 2018, the department devoted itself to providing better respiratory therapy services, developed and established the RespCare respiratory therapy system, and achieved comprehensive informatization of patient management, which facilitated the integration of medical resources and improved medical efficiency. In 2019, the China Respiratory Discipline Development Conference announced 23 approved single-specialty training bases for respiratory therapy, and the department was approved as one of the first respiratory therapy single-specialty training bases. Each year, it receives more than 200 advanced trainees from across China. Under a mentor-responsibility system, theoretical lectures, simulation teaching, teaching rounds, and other methods are used to provide advanced trainees with professional training in respiratory therapy and impart standardized professional knowledge. The training has strong clinical practicality and significant educational outcomes, has received high praise from advanced trainees, and has played an active role in promoting the development of respiratory therapy in China. The department has participated in 3 national key research and development projects. In 2020, it was approved for support from one National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program project, achieving a breakthrough from zero. In 2021, it jointly established the China Institute of Respiratory Therapy with Mindray Medical and launched a critical respiratory therapy training program for Belt and Road countries. To date, three sessions have been held, training nearly 300 international trainees.

Technical Advantages

With more than 30 years of courageous progress, the Department of Respiratory Therapy has grown and developed together with the hospital and established a whole-hospital, whole-process respiratory therapy management model serving patients throughout the hospital.

1. Management of Critically Ill and Emergency Patients

Members of the hospital-wide resuscitation team; respiratory support management for patients with respiratory failure throughout the hospital; artificial airway management and fiberoptic bronchoscopy treatment for critically ill patients; respiratory rehabilitation treatment for acute and chronic respiratory diseases; programmed weaning for noninvasive sequential weaning and difficult-to-wean patients; one-lung ventilation; protective ventilation and lung recruitment for ARDS patients; and application of new ventilator modes, among others.

2. Hospital-Wide Ward Management

Respiratory therapy consultation; respiratory function assessment and pulmonary rehabilitation for perioperative patients; application of the ERAS perioperative respiratory therapy graded management Protocol; post-ICU respiratory therapy; respiratory support and respiratory rehabilitation for patients with respiratory failure.

3. Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment Center

Respiratory function assessment and pulmonary rehabilitation centered on patients with chronic respiratory diseases and chronic respiratory failure: pulmonary function examination and diagnosis; cardiopulmonary exercise function examination and diagnosis; exhaled nitric oxide testing and CaNO exhalation testing; allergen testing; related assessment and rehabilitation treatment for patients with chronic respiratory diseases; diaphragmatic dysfunction; and diagnosis, respiratory support, and respiratory rehabilitation treatment for patients with chronic respiratory failure, among others.

Academic Status

China PCCM Respiratory Therapy, Respiratory Rehabilitation, and Pulmonary Function Single-Specialty Training Base

First Batch of Outstanding Institutions for Standardized Respiratory Rehabilitation Development of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine

Deputy Director Institution of the Respiratory Rehabilitation Special Committee of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation

Director Institution of the Respiratory Therapy and Rehabilitation Special Committee of the Zhejiang Association of Rehabilitation Medicine

Deputy Leader Institution of the Respiratory Therapy Group of the Chinese Society of Pathophysiology and Critical Care Medicine

Continuing Education Committee Institution of the International Council for Respiratory Therapy

Research Achievements

Undertook 2 projects of the Provincial Department of Science and Technology, participated in 2 major research projects, and undertook 1 National Natural Science Foundation of China project; published 42 SCI articles and served as editor or contributing editor for 8 expert commentaries and expert consensuses.