Volume 10, Issue 5
June 2007  
 
 amsect president President’s Message
AmSECT’s Strategic Plan

By Alfred H.  Stammers, MSA, CCP
AmSECT President
 

During the past two years, a number of significant changes have occurred within the Society that have set the stage for the future. These changes were a result of a Strategic Plan that was formulated in the fall of 2005, submitted to the Board of Directors, and approved in April 2006. Such a process is part of the AmSECT Bylaws that govern the Society and direct the actions of all the elected members and committees.  The new President, Carla Maul has recently been elected. There will be a new Strategic Plan that will undergo the same development and undergo the same scrutinization that all the previous Presidents have formulated at the start of their terms. Therefore, the Strategic Plan serves as one of the most important undertakings that the Society pursues and its effects are felt for years to come. A brief description of how a Strategic Plan is formulated is warranted.

Strategic Plan
The function of the Strategic Plan is to address issues that are important because of their potential impact on AmSECT. The results of the Strategic Plan will impact the profession for years, and will affect not only the members of AmSECT but also the entire perfusion community.

Goals of the Strategic Planning Committee:

  1. Identify opportunities and threats that perfusionists will face in the upcoming years.
  2. Separate tactical plans from strategic plans. A tactical plan is one that will have one or more of the following traits: its impact will occur in one year or less, concerns approaches for implementing decisions from previous Strategic Plans, does not effect a large number of perfusionists.
  3. Identify future initiatives that will most likely impact the Society and profession.
  4. Establish a prioritization platform by which future initiatives are ranked both in accordance to timeliness and need.
  5. Determine key endpoints for the determination of goal completion.
  6. Direct focus on achievable goals but do not discard those deemed questionable.
  7. Identify and list key individuals to assist in these initiatives.
  8. Establish a time frame for goal completion.
  9. Establish an ongoing review policy to determine outcomes.
  10. Reconvene at next years blood management meeting to review progress.

Current AmSECT Strategic Plan

    BEST PRACTICES PERFUSION
  1. INITIATIVE: To establish a systematic approach for reviewing current practice techniques in extracorporeal circulation in order to publish standards and guidelines for the practice of perfusion.
    GOAL: A Best Practices Committee made of perfusionist organizations from diverse locations with an international scope, to implement an outcome-based best practice structure for the perfusion community by establishing more relevant essentials and guidelines for perfusion practice.
    STEPS:
    a.  Establish a Best Practices Steering Committee to oversee this effort.
    b.  Revisit the essentials and guidelines as currently published by AmSECT.
    c.   Develop and publish evidence-based guidelines utilizing the Journal of ExtraCorporeal Technology, and other perfusion periodicals as publication vehicles.
    d.  Utilize the services of the AmSECT management firm to implement this process.
    e.  Develop a Best Practices in Perfusion meeting for 2006.
    f.    Develop a review process of this initiative.

    SCOPE OF PRACTICE
  2. INITIATIVE:  Reevaluate the current Scope of Practice for its degree of inclusiveness in current and future perfusionist responsibilities.
    GOALS:  Using both current and future growth areas establish a firm and inclusive Scope of Practice to protect perfusion responsibility areas.
    STEPS:
    a.  Establish an ad hoc committee to reevaluate the Scope of Practice as now stated.
    b.  Incorporate new technologies as related to extracorporeal circulation.
    c.   Incorporate units of measure and evaluate primary vs. secondary functions.
    d.  Utilize resources from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations.
    e.  President to serve as ex officio member.

    CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
  3. INITIATIVE:  Restructure the Continuing Medical Education Committee (CME) into a broader entity using multiple individuals to oversee this important aspect of AmSECT.
    GOAL: Establish an infrastructure by which the CME committee is reformed to involve multiple people from all regions to support and direct the educational mission of AmSECT.
    STEPS:
    a.  Establish a committee of four individuals.
    b.  The President shall appoint the chair, with the three remaining committee members drawn from regions different from that of the chairperson. Committee members may be drawn from the Convention Planning Committee with no more than two individuals serving on each of these committees.
    c.   AmSECT’s management firm will coordinate all of the AmSECT-sponsored meetings.
    d.  Continue the meeting venue of AmSECT supporting the following meetings: International, Pediatrics, Blood Management and Emerging Technology.
    e.  If Initiative 1 is approved, establish a fifth meeting to be titled Best Practices in Perfusion.
    f.    The CD/DVD program will be omitted for 2006 with no recording of meetings until at least 2007. Revisit this initiative as more cost effective means of recording presentations develop.

    CONVENTION PLANNING
  4. INITIATIVE: The Convention Planning Committee is an extremely important part of the Society and represents a major funding source for a number of initiatives.
    GOALS:  The committee will work closely with the management firm to identify budgetary and organizational matters that adhere to and meet the mission of the society.
    STEPS: 
    a.  The committee will convene at several times during the International Conference to plan for the future meeting.
    b.  Several times during the year the committee will conduct conference calls to plan for following year’s convention.
    c.   The committee will seek input from other standing and ad hoc committees of AmSECT concerning additional issues require addressing at the International venue.

    INTERNET
  5. INITIATIVE: To establish an informatics strategy and pathway that would facilitate the dissemination of Society information to stakeholders.
    GOALS:  Evaluate the current status of AmSECT initiatives utilizing the Internet, and determine how the society is facing these challenges.
    STEPS:
    a.  Review the function of PerfList.
    b.  Establish better organization of critical areas of the website: Government Relations, JECT, annual meetings, AmSECT Today, etc.
    c.   Establish the management as the web-coordinator for maintaining the server and AmSECT’s web-based initiatives.
    d.  Reestablish the function of the Internet Committee to one of content instead of function.

    THE JOURNAL OF EXTRACORPOREAL TECHNOLOGY
  6. INITIATIVE: To restructure the Journal into a tool supported by perfusion organizations throughout the world.
    GOALS:  The Journal is currently underutilized and because of its international audience and tremendous reaching power through PubMed, should be expanded to promote the Societies function and mission.
    STEPS:
    a.  Seek co-sponsorship with international organizations.
    b.  Utilize an electronic version of the table of contents and other useful information to reach non-members and other health professionals.

    AMSECT TODAY
  7. INITIATIVE: To proceed with the electronic only format of AmSECT Today (AT) to increase the circulation in the perfusion community.
    GOAL: Increase the awareness of the society’s presence to non-members and other health professionals by disseminating information concerning perfusion through AT.

    MEMBERSHIP
  8. INITIATIVE: Growing of membership in the society is critical to its long-term success and will be pursued with vigor.
    GOALS:  Establish a means of maximizing member benefits while balancing fiscal responsibility.
    STEPS:
    a.  Management will provide a recruitment and retention process.
    b.  Consider options such as surveys to determine what members, and non-members, require as services from a professional organization.
    c.   Membership committee should remain at the ad hoc level.
    d.  Reevaluate the list of member benefits and to improve upon those using the strategic goals as a means of improving recruitment and retention.

    PERFUSION EDUCATION
  9. INITIATIVE:  Work closely with the Perfusion Program Directors Council (PPDC) and the Accreditation Committee on Perfusion Education (ACPE) to understand the challenges facing educational programs, and see how the Society can address these.
    GOAL:  Establish an open channel of communication with the PPDC and the ACPE for the sharing of goals and strategies.
    STEPS: 
    a.  Enhance the awareness of the membership with the function of the PPDC and the ACPE.
    b.  Continue to provide opportunities for the PPDC and the ACPE to utilize the meetings that the Society conducts.
    c.   Review the Essentials and Guidelines to assure that developing technologies are represented in this document.
    d.  Provide the management firm with resources for web management to the PPDC.
    e.  Stop administering the scholarships supported by the Society for individual students, and make the monies available to the PPDC in the form of grants or awards

    GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
  10. INITIATIVE: Reevaluate the future of the Government Relations Committee (GRC) as it exists in its current state and support its mission.
    GOALS: Continue to support the initiatives of the GRC Director for the future.
    STEPS:
    a.  Strongly support efforts towards licensure for states close to licensure.
    b.  Work closely with the GRC to develop feasibility plans for licensure for the remaining perfusionists in non-licensed states.

    PEDIATRICS
  11. INITIATIVE: Establish the Pediatric Committee as a standing Committee of the Society.
    GOALS: Working with the Pediatric Committee explore how AmSECT can better support this arm of the Society. 
    STEPS:
    a.  Query the Pediatric Committee and pediatric perfusion community about how AmSECT can better serve their needs.
    b.  Review the benefits and detriments of establishing the Pediatric Committee as a standing committee of the Society.

    BLOOD MANAGEMENT
  12. INITIATIVE: Develop a blood management initiative whereby Scope of Practice changes in perfusion responsibilities are fostered.
    GOALS:  Create a new Standing Committee to formalize the development and promotion of all aspects of blood management.
    STEPS:
    a.  Using the committee identify what areas need to be explored for future growth.
    b.  Using the revised Scope of Practice address the topics from this document.
    c.   Utilize the established New Advances of Blood Management Meeting as a venue for this committee.
    d.  Establish a location on the AmSECT website for the development of this initiative.
    e.  Survey autotransfusionists to see how the Society may support them and attract new members to the Society.
    f.    Develop a Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, and Clinical Guidelines that apply to the Autotransfusionists.
     
    OUTSIDE PERFUSION ORGANIZATIONS
  13. INITIATIVE: Identify ways of improving relationships with other perfusion organizations.
    GOALS:  Improve relationships with the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion and the American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion.
    STEPS:
    a.  Improve the communication with each organization through unsolicited sharing of ideas.
    b.  Establish liaisons between the AACP and AmSECT.
    c.   Work closely with the ABCP to establish communications when selecting meeting locations.
    d.  Work diligently to solidify the placement of the ABCP examinations with AmSECT meetings, both in the spring and fall.

    ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH NON-PERFUSION ORGANIZATIONS
  14. INITIATIVE: Establish an open channel of communications with physician-led organizations such as Cardiothoracic Surgery and Anesthesiology.
    GOAL: To communicate with the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesia, American Association of Thoracic Surgery, and Society of Thoracic Surgery to explain the Societies initiatives and to gain insight on the challenges and strategies of these organizations.
    STEPS:
    a.  The BOD and Ruggles corporation will contact the Medical Advisory Board to see if the president can make a presentation at each of their board meetings) to provide an update on the AmSECT’s strategic plan.
    b.  Ask for 15 minutes on each of their agendas.

    INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
  15. INITIATIVE:  Develop a plan to increase relationships with the established perfusionists organizations throughout the world.
    GOALS:  Use the International Meeting venue as a way to provide foreign members with a time to present international issues.
    STEPS:
    a.  Open communications with the prominent international perfusion organizations such as the Canadian Society of Cardiovascular Perfusion, The Australian New Zealand Society of Cardiovascular Perfusion, The Chinese Perfusion Society, …
    b.  Increase the geographical diversity of membership.
    c.   Use the Society publications to enhance international communication.
Future editorial in this column will address each of these initiatives and how the Society is progressing through its Strategic Plan. As always, we welcome input from all concerned individuals to assist us in meeting the goals of supporting the profession.

 

 
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