Accelerated Insights: Bringing Speed & Simplicity to Respiratory Care with ARA 

Respiratory therapists need tools that deliver accurate, actionable data without slowing down care. ACPlus® Respiratory Assessment, or ARA, delivers. In just minutes, clinicians can complete an assessment that provides real-time insights into lung function and treatment effectiveness. 

What is ARA?

ARA is a user-friendly, evidence-based tool designed to help clinicians objectively measure lung function and integrate respiratory care into routine practice. ARA captures inspiratory and expiratory lung volume and flow metrics, providing a clear picture of a patient’s respiratory status. This data supports individualized treatment planning, early intervention, and compliance with PDPM requirements. 

See ARA in Action

The patient in this video has advanced COPD. In just minutes, a brief assessment revealed low FVC and FEV₁, signaling difficulty with deep inhalation and forceful exhalation. With this clarity, the respiratory therapist integrated breathing exercises with the OmniFlow® Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System.  

Over subsequent sessions, the patient: 

• Spent more time out of bed 
• Reported less shortness of breath 
• Achieved 200 feet of ambulation  

These metrics reflect functional recovery and meaningful improvements to her quality of life. 

How ARA Works

Completing an ARA assessment is designed to be fast and intuitive: 

1. Select Patient in the App: 

Open the ARA app, select your patient, and record demographic information (which can be ported from your EMR). 

2. Conduct Breathing Tests: 

Capture baseline respiratory metrics (inspiratory/expiratory volumes and flow) using simple, standardized instructions. The workflow is designed so patients and clinicians can complete assessments in minutes. 

3. ARA Interprets Results: 

ARA analyzes the data and automatically suggests possible lung disease patterns and severity, giving the team a clear starting point for clinical decision-making. 

4. Begin the Treatment Plan: 

Use ARA’s insights to tailor interventions (e.g., breathing exercises, breathing therapy with OmniFlow, airway clearance strategies, pacing, activity progression). The data helps align treatment with patient capability and goals.

5. Follow Up to Track Progress: 

Repeat assessments at clinically appropriate intervals to monitor treatment effectiveness over time. Visual trends make it easier to demonstrate progress to patients, families, and care teams. 

In the RAI User’s Manual, Appendix A (page Appendix A-24), the following definition is provided for the Minimum Data Set (MDS) application of Respiratory Therapy: 

Services that are provided by a qualified professional (respiratory therapists, respiratory nurse). Respiratory therapy services are for the assessment, treatment, and monitoring of patients with deficiencies or abnormalities of pulmonary function. Respiratory therapy services include coughing, deep breathing, heated nebulizers, aerosol treatments, assessing breath sounds and mechanical ventilation, etc., which must be provided by a respiratory therapist or trained respiratory nurse.

The RAI User’s Manual defines a respiratory-trained nurse as one who received education in delivering respiratory services and assessment through formal training or during nursing education. ACP nursing continuing education courses may satisfy these requirements. 

For guidance on establishing a respiratory nurse, please refer to your respective State Practice Act and confirm that nurses comply with their scope of practice as defined by the State Specific Board for Nursing and according to Facility Policy.  

Integrating ARA into Your Workflow

Many teams begin by incorporating ARA into the inital intake process to establish a baseline, then repeat at defined intervals (e.g., weekly, biweekly) to monitor progress. Pairing ARA with OmniFlow creates a feedback loop that reinforces patient engagement and accelerates clinical improvements. 

Bring ARA to Your Facility

Contact us to learn more and request a free demo to get started.

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