The Department of Respiratory Care at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, is a medical technology department dedicated to the assessment, treatment, and prevention of acute and chronic cardiopulmonary dysfunction. The department brings together a highly skilled respiratory care team integrating clinical service, education, and research.
Respiratory Care is considered a “rising sun” medical specialty in China, with significant potential for growth.
In 1997, with approval from the Ministry of Health, West China University of Medical Sciences (now part of Sichuan University) pioneered the respiratory care program in China, drawing on the American model of respiratory care education. Since its inception, the respiratory care team at West China Hospital has steadily expanded.
In June 2022, the Department of Respiratory Care was formally established, with a commitment to building a respiratory care system characterized by the distinctive strengths of West China Hospital. Through close collaboration with physicians and nurses, the department aims to improve survival rates of critically ill patients, shorten hospital stays, and enhance the quality of life for individuals with cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
Respiratory therapists provide respiratory support as their core function for critically ill patients and those with acute or chronic respiratory diseases.
The scope of practice covers the entire hospital, including outpatient and emergency care, and extends to partner institutions through telemedicine. Key responsibilities include:
The department hosts China’s first master’s and doctoral degree programs in respiratory care, as well as the country’s first postgraduate respiratory care training base. It is also among the initial PCCM (Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine) Respiratory Care Single-Specialty Training Bases established by the Chinese Medical Association.
A comprehensive and progressive talent development system has been established, covering undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and standardized postgraduate training. The department is recognized as one of the most influential education and training bases for respiratory therapists in China.
Leveraging West China Hospital’s position as a leading center for medical research and technological innovation, the department has implemented several internationally advanced and nationally leading technologies, including:
The department continuously refines respiratory care strategies based on respiratory physiology and mechanics to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Supported by a robust clinical and research innovation platform—also serving as a hub for international exchange and collaboration—the department applies cellular and molecular biology techniques to validate respiratory care strategies at the pathophysiological level, while integrating engineering, materials science, and informatics to advance the development of respiratory care equipment and systems.
