Loss of a Legend: Remembering Robert M. Kacmarek

Abstract

Bob's first publications in the Journal were a 3-part series on the technical aspects PEEP. 1-3 A co-author on those papers was Barry Shapiro, a physician and long-term supporter of the respiratory care profession until his death in 2008. Bob had a career long interest in PEEP and that had its genesis in these papers. Of note, in the early 1980s the use of PEEP was not common, and its use was controversial. It was a big deal to set PEEP on the ventilator back then. For respiratory therapists and critical care physicians practicing today, it is unthinkable that the ventilator could be set without PEEP, but it was common at that time. These papers on PEEP published in 1982 are classics and of interest even today, almost 40 years later.

AARC Named Lectures and the Backstory

“…Bob's contributions to the profession are well known and were recently chronicled by Hess in last month's issue of RESPIRATORY CARE. 6 Beginning at the 2021 AARC Congress, the Egan Lecture will be re-named the Robert M Kacmarek Lecture, and rightfully so. The lecture will remain the premiere lecture at the AARC Congress.…”