Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s (RWJUH) Respiratory Care Program has achieved one of the most prestigious designations in its industry: the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) 2026-2027 APEX Acute Care award. An RWJBarnabas Health facility, RWJUH is only the third New Jersey hospital to ever achieve this award and one of only 64 in the United States.
(New Brunswick, NJ) – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s (RWJUH) Respiratory Care Program has achieved one of the most prestigious designations in its industry: the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) 2026-2027 APEX Acute Care award. An RWJBarnabas Health facility, RWJUH is only the third New Jersey hospital to ever achieve this award and one of only 64 in the United States.
The Apex Program requires facilities to provide comprehensive documentation on various factors essential for delivering top-notch care. Apex honorees excel in areas such as staff education, credentialing, and implementation of protocols that ensure safe and effective care delivery.
Facilities earning the Apex Recognition Award have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in professional development, evidence-based care, patient safety, and quality improvement.
“As an academic medical center with a broad range of advanced specialty care services and programs addressing many complex illnesses with many patients experiencing some degree of difficulty breathing, respiratory care is the foundation for the care we provide,” said RWJUH President Alan Lee. “We’re proud that our team has been recognized for its commitment to quality and providing exceptional care in a safe environment for our patients.”
Rob Sigler, RRT, FACHE, recently retired Director of Respiratory Care at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), (left), and Crystal Fey, BS-RRT, NPS, Director, Respiratory Care at RWJUH, accept the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) 2026-2027 APEX Acute Care award on behalf of RWJUH’s Respiratory Care Program. The APEX Acute Care award is one of the most prestigious designations in the respiratory care field. An RWJBarnabas Health facility, RWJUH is only the third New Jersey hospital to ever achieve this award and one of only 64 in the United States.
The AARC Apex Recognition Award is a recognition program for respiratory care departments in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, home medical equipment
(HME) companies, educational programs, acute care international, post-acute care, and dedicated transport teams.
AARC developed the Apex Recognition Award to recognize the significant contribution of respiratory therapists and highlight best practices in respiratory care that are aligned with evidence-based medicine. This program also helps consumers choose healthcare facilities that enhance patient safety and outcomes by providing access to respiratory therapists delivering high-quality, evidence-based care.
RWJUH’s Respiratory Therapists cover RWJUH’s entire campus treating all patients who have some difficulty breathing, which includes premature infants, asthma and cystic fibrosis patients in pediatrics, accident victims in the Emergency Department, patients with COPD on medical care units, sleep apnea patients needing CPAP, and patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) who need mechanical ventilation.
RWJUH’s Respiratory Care team’s dedication was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During the height of the pandemic, RWJUH’s Respiratory Therapy Team cared for COVID-positive patients throughout the hospital including several temporary ICUs. RWJUH peaked at 83 ventilator patients daily along with a large number of patients on high-flow oxygen and other treatments.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 724-bed academic medical center in New Brunswick that is New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute. RWJUH is home to the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a nationally-ranked 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. RWJUH is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Regional Hospital for 2025-2026 with 19 High Performing Adult Specialties and Conditions. Centers of Excellence include heart and vascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, pediatrics and women’s health. As one of only three state-certified Level 1 Trauma Centers and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the New Jersey, RWJUH’s campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
Contact: Peter Haigney
RWJUH Public Relations
(732) 937-8568