A Blast from the Past ! Perfusion 1995

Editor’s Note:

In 1995:

There was no ECECT meeting yet

European Certificate in Cardiovascular Perfusion was a year away

Standards of Practice in Clinical Perfusion in Australasia were two years away

Perflist was just beginning under Sue Boetcher’s pioneering mantle-

Perfusion dot com was becoming a reality (Bryan Lich was about to profoundly change perfusion communication and take it to the next level)

The Internet was exploding, and the Perfusion community discovered fire, took the next evolutionary step, and was fundamentally changed forever.

The aforementioned coinciding emergence of both perflist and perfusion.com represent in my opinion one of the most important paradigm shifts in the perfusion community.  On a metaphorical level- similar to membrane  oxygenators replacing bubblers.

Blogs such as CircuitSurfers are just a hybrid or natural outgrowth of the original stream of thought that Bryan and Sue brought to the table.  Don’t get me wrong- I like what this blog offers to the community- and feel it is an essential tool as we develop true “real-time” communication venues, but the foundation for ‘Surfers was set quite a while ago…

So anyway-

I was looking at my perspective back then- my goals and writing style haven’t changed that much (a little bit more down-to-earth now)…

BUT… quite a bit has changed since 1995:

• Licensure
• International Communication
• Medical Device & Industry Relations
• Missions & Pediatric Forums
• A New Student Body: Sim Perfusion Training

Thanks for reading 🙂

Frank Aprile, BBA, LP, CCP

Editor, CircuitSurfers dot com

Perfusion Life: Changing Faces

circa 1995

Perfusion represents an aspect of clini­cal endeavor that begs definition when the medical professionals with whom we are most often associated raise the question of what our occupation entails. Too often, this invites confusion associated with the role that we play in the cardiovascular arena­ and invariably, the overall responsibility inherent to the process of delivering appro­priate and safe medical attention related to cardiovascular support during coronary ar­tery bypass graft procedures, whether ac­quired or congenital.

As a whole, we are few, and subse­quently, represent a minority specialization in the health care industry. What fails to be reflected is the diversity that our occupation encompasses, a diversity that may or (most often) may not be readily recognized when perfusion services are required or indicated. Often-times neglected is the obvious concern and commitment that is consistently expressed by deed or intention by our peers and colleagues. This results in a certain amount of respect or trust gar­nered from those surgeons/cardiologists that we have chosen to ally ourselves with, yet falls substantially short of an expression of solidarity for our profession as a whole.

Reflectively, one must respect the sin­gular and most rare opportunity that is associated with our chosen profession, and (hopefully) would not choose to ignore or deny the responsibility that is implied in regard to continuing education and further expression of our status as a professional body.

Prospectively, one must extend that personal effort to the process of written expression, which by virtue of the respon­sibility that you have chosen, may be repre­sented as an extension of the profession.

As a certified clinical perfusionist, I wish to say hello to those of you who read Perfusion Life. By means of introduction, 1 must and feel personally obligated to thank the appropriate individuals who have made my ascension to Editor of this magazine possible:

Kurt Larrick, who has recently accepted an editorial position elsewhere, was extremely capable and instrumental in his capacity of Managing Editor. I thank him for his easy-going trust and recommen­dation for the position.

Ron Richards was the previous Editor of this magazine, and has chosen to depart from this position in lieu of accepting the nomination of his peers to the role of AmSECT Treasurer. His insight as to the requirements, hopes, aspi­rations, and heartaches of this position have been tremendously helpful.

George Cate represents an essential role in the direction of this magazine, as well as contributing his wealth of knowl­edge and expertise to the continuing pro­cess of directing the outcome of this publi­cation.

Tara Hoke has recently become the Managing Editor of Perfusion Life, and offers a new perspective for this magazine. This reference applies not only in terms of editorial management, but also reflects the anticipation of future contribution based on the depth of her previous educational train­ing.

Craig Vocelka, President of AmSECT, has been instrumental in focusing this magazine in a manner that promotes the consen­sus of the body of perfusion. His efforts and direction for this publication merit praise in regard to the global approach that he has assumed in taking perfusion to a higher level.

Basically, this magazine will represent the subscriber’ s choice.

lt can and will diagram the readership as they choose to be displayed .

lt will reflect our professional society, simply because it is in print.

lt may represent as much or as little of “perfusion life” as our membership allows, that choice again being dictated by the subscribers.

lt requires commitment from the editorial staff, publishers, and most significantly, the readers that subscribe.

The quality of type in print will be an expression of editorial choices that can only be made based on the submissions at hand. This publication will not print material that is educationally, clinically, or professionally irresponsible, inappropriate, and/or inad­equate.

The design for Perfusion Life rests with membership, and will accommodate the directions that you prescribe. The goal for Perfusion Life is to establish a reputa­tion as a publication that enables the major­ity of subscribers a voice for continuing education, political reform, and medical­ legal assessment. Similarly, the implied responsibility rests with the reader to as­sume a certain responsibility for their own voice … Perfusion Life.

The intention of this magazine is to establish a forum that provides educational and political updates as they emerge. Of primary concern is identifying a network by which our specialized community can best react and pro-actively institute reform before we become captive to legislation that blind-sides our scope of practice. In tandem with this approach will be the inte­gration and recognition of those individuals that have chosen to represent them­selves as experts in the field of health care reform.

lt is the insight from these individu­als upon which the majority of the perfu­sion community relies for information re­garding emergent or imminent legislation that will affect our practice. I encourage and invite this contingent to spell out their findings in laymen’ s terms, so that general comprehension is assured. Analysis and recommendations for political action are only a first step. The grass-roots approach for political action must be clearly defined to provide a template for those who are inclined to become involved with the legis­lative process. Identification of a problem becomes an academic exercise if the tools for resolution are not clearly defined.

There are additional aspects related to the field of perfusion that this magazine will highlight in an effort to consolidate our readership. These areas of focus will at­tempt to represent specialty areas or con­cerns related to the perfusion community. If there are suggestions or recommendations for items/topics that are ignored or redundant, please feel free to comment to the editorial staff.

=The Industry Connection:

A dialogue with the individuals that service the needs of the perfusion commu­nity. Insight into perfusion relations and expectations from industry.

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Pediatrics:

A forum for discussion and continuing education. An effort to promote a state liaison with a group that may (as a result of lack of representation) wish to splinter away from AMSECT and pursue alternative rep­resentation.

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Legal and Ethical Issues:

An effort to establish a continuing month-to-month account of pending legal/ economic!ethical implications for the per­fusion community. Laymen’ s terms are preferred; few people understand the basics of becoming involved with local and state policy reform.

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Blood Salvage: Organ Transplantation & Other Components:

The autotransfusion community rep­resents perfusion-related expertise that en­compasses a fraction of the overall training required for the CCP. The definition of extra-corporeal technology implies direct association with this field, yet it represents an arena where little or no effort has been addressed in trying to secure these bound­aries within the perfusion community. Re­lated topics for discussion include the har­vesting and maintenance of organs (kidney/ heart!lungs) for subsequent transplantation and peripheral limb perfusion.

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Economic Directions:

What do “managed care,” “capitation.” and “licensure” mean for the average perfusionist? What directions will current and future economic mandates hold for us?

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International Communications:

As the largest Society established to represent extra-corporeal technology, AMSECT must retain a leadership role for the world-wide community. How is this being accomplished? What perspectives and/or clinical insight has been gleaned from our foreign colleagues? How can we establish a forum for the exchange of clinical information and/or political insight?

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The Student Body:

The students that are in the process of entering our profession represent a tremendous infusion of vitality and new perspectives. They deserve a voice and an opportunity to express their concerns to the perfusion community. This magazine may offer them a rare opportunity to deliver their insight or scientific contribution in a manner from which all parties may benefit.

These forums will no doubt contribute to the body of this magazine. They are not designed to fill space. I ask for your tolerance and patience regarding the implementation of new topics or categories for this publication. In some cases, these topic may represent areas of redundancy. The May appear irrelevant or unnecessary to some of our readers. If that is the case please forward your opinion to the editorial staff.

My regards and thanks to the community.