Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital recently welcomed Melissa Garmon, RRT, RRT-NPS, as the director of Respiratory Therapy. With more than 26 years of experience, Melissa comes to the hospitals after having worked at Overland Park Regional Medical Center for the past 24 years as a Registered Respiratory Therapist Supervisor.

She received her Respiratory Therapist training at Kansas City Kansas Community College held in conjunction with the former Bethany Medical Center. She has a bachelor’s degree in General Studies, majoring in Psychology from the University of Kansas and an Associate of Arts degree from Johnson County Community College.

In her new role, she will oversee the programs and staff of the Respiratory Therapy departments.

“I am so excited to be here,” Melissa said. “It is a homecoming of sorts with my respiratory educational background at Bethany and serving as a traveling respiratory therapist at Providence in the past.”

Melissa indicated she wants to help support patient satisfaction and work with other departments to provide exceptional care. With the past two years being super focused on patients with COVID-19, she wants to help support her RT staff in caring for patients with other pulmonary issues, but also identify best practice for caring for patients with COVID long haul symptoms.

She is looking forward to coordinating high quality respiratory services with the NICU in the Providence Women’s Center. Melissa is also optimistic about the possibilities of reestablishing the Pulmonary Functions Test Lab, the Pulmonary Rehab Clinic, and the Sleep Disorders Center services at PMC.

In her spare time, she and her family, husband Zach and two sons, enjoy spending time at their summer home at the Lake of the Ozarks. Melissa also enjoys gardening and tending to her jungle of house plants. She and her family members are also avid sports fans rooting for the KC Chiefs, KU Jayhawks, and NASCAR racing.