Society of Critical Care Medicine

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In 1970, 29 physicians with a major interest in the care of the critically ill met in Los Angeles, California USA to form an international organization committed to meeting the needs of extremely ill patients. Max Harry Weil, MD was installed as the first President of SCCM. Many years later, the fruit of their labor -- the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit public benefit corporation, incorporated in the State of California, USA) -- continues to grow and support all members of the critical care community.

1 Mission Statement
2 Governance
3 Participation by Member Volunteers
4 About SCCM
5 Scientific Publications
6 Scientific and Clinical Awards/Grants
7 Education and Training
8 Patient and Family Support
9 American College of Critical Care Medicine
10 Partnership Activities
11 Key Milestones
12 References

[edit] Mission Statement

The mission of the Society of Critical Care Medicine is to secure the highest quality care for all critically ill and injured patients.

Envisioned Future The Society of Critical Care Medicine envisions a world in which all critically ill and injured persons receive care from integrated teams of dedicated experts directed by trained and present intensivist physicians. Multiprofessional teams use knowledge, technology and compassion to provide timely, safe, effective and efficient patient-centered care.

[edit] Governance

The Society is governed by a group of 18 members called the Council. The Council consists of 13 seats, plus five members of the Executive Committee, which is consists of the president, president-elect, immediate past president, secretary and treasurer. There are six designated seats: Anesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Internal Medicine, Nursing, Pediatrics, and Surgery; one "collective" seat rotated between all other Sections, and six At-Large seats. As of May 2008, the Society had 14,000 members from 83 countries. The Society employs a Chief Executive Officer who manages a professional staff (60 as of May 2008) that operate the Society on a day-to-day basis, from a headquarters facility the Society owns near O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

[edit] Participation by Member Volunteers

SCCM contains a large structure of committees and task forces composed of members who volunteer their time and expertise to further the goals and mission of SCCM. To become involved on a committee or task force, members fill out an application and are appointed to serve, generally for three year terms, by the Society's elected President. The Society calls its volunteer workforce the Creative Community in Critical Care, which currently numbers more than 700 persons.

[edit] About SCCM

The Society is the leading organization dedicated to ensuring excellence and consistency in the practice of critical care. From heart attack and stroke, to severe respiratory insufficiency, overwhelming infection, burns and gunshot wounds, the SCCM recognizes the unique needs of the critically ill patient of any age -- infant to adult -- and strives to secure the highest quality care for all patients facing life-threatening conditions.

The Society of Critical Care Medicine is the only professional organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of multiprofessional intensive care through excellence in patient care, education, research, and advocacy. Primary members of SCCM are:

Intensivists Physicians who are board certified in a medical specialty, such as surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, or anesthesiology, and who receive special education, training and subspecialty board certification specifically in critical care. Intensivists work closely with other critical care experts to provide their patients with ongoing and consistent care.

Critical Care Nurses Registered nurses who receive highly specialized education and are often certified in critical care nursing as "CCRNs." Because of their close contact with the family and the patient, CCRNs often serve as the patient's advocate and become integral to the decision-making process of the patient, family, and critical care team.

Critical Care Pharmacists/Pharmocologists Physicians or doctors of pharmacy who use their extensive knowledge to carefully monitor a patient's medications.

Respiratory Therapists Respiratory therapists work with the critical care team to monitor and adjust ventilators and other respiratory technology as needed.

Other Professionals These may include physical/occupational therapists, technicians, social workers, dieticians and members of the clergy.

[edit] Scientific Publications

The profession's most prestigious publication, Critical Care Medicine, was founded by the Society in 1972. The journal, to which more than 15,000 critical care professionals and libraries worldwide subscribe, covers all aspects of acute and emergency care for the critically ill or injured patient, including the latest news on clinical breakthroughs and promising research. It is the most frequently cited journal in the field. The Critical Care Medicine Editorial Board is composed of international leaders in critical care and led currently by Editor-in-Chief Joseph E. Parrillo, MD, FCCM.

In addition to the monthly issue, the journal publishes at least four supplements per year which are focused reviews of the latest advances in science and technology and their applications to critical care.

In July 2000, SCCM and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies launched a new journal, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, devoted exclusively to pediatric and neonatal intensive care medicine. Patrick M. Kochanek, MD, FCCM, serves as the Editor-In-Chief.

In addition to its high-quality peer-reviewed journals, the SCCM also publishes information designed to assist critical care practitioners, at varying stages of their careers, in the evaluation of core knowledge and in preparation for critical care subspecialty board examinations.

[edit] Scientific and Clinical Awards/Grants

The Society's extensive grants and awards program encourages and promotes excellence in critical care teaching, research, and patient care by honoring critical care experts - physicians, nurses, and other health professionals - who demonstrate dedication and innovation in this field. Research awards honor and provide funding for the work of researchers from every part of the Society, including young and established physician investigators, nurses, pharmacists, and others. Other awards recognize professionals concerned with medical ethics, outstanding patient care and teaching, and excellent intensive care unit (ICU) design. Research findings are presented at the SCCM Congress and are often published in the Critical Care Medicine.

[edit] Education and Training

The Society's major activity is continuing education of critical care professionals. Each year, its annual congress brings together more than 5,000 critical care professionals. During plenary lectures, workshops, panel discussions, and special sessions, attendees focus on issues involving clinical practice and the ever-changing environment of the intensive care unit (ICU).

The Society also offers the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) Course, designed to provide basic critical care principles for the non-intensivist healthcare provider. The FCCS course provides training in basic critical care skills required beyond the "golden hour," the first 60 minutes of care for a critically ill or injured patient. Established in 2001, this course trains approxmiately 6,000 healthcare providers annually. The program is translated into multiple languages and is taught worldwide. Shortly after the attacks on September 11, 2001 the Society developed the Fundamentals of Disaster Management course, which is taught along with the FCCS course if desired.

Each year, the Society also sponsors the Critical Care Academy, which provides a number of specialty training programs, along with the Multiprofessional Critical Care Review Course, a five-and-a-half day intensive review designed to prepare intensivists for the critical care subspecialty examinations. The course provides a detailed review of core critical care concepts during lectures and workshops given by expert multiprofessional faculty. The Society also provides a similar course for pediatric intensivists.

The Society also offers the Multidisciplinary Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Program. This annual exam allows fellowship directors to analyze their fellows' level of knowledge in critical care medicine and identify areas of weakness for further study. In addition, it allows physicians-in-training an opportunity to prepare for subspecialty certification.

In addition to the programs noted here, SCCM also provides a wide range of other conferences worldwide in an effort to improve care of critically ill patients. Conferences are typically organized around a singular topic area. A recent addition to the SCCM educational program is the online learning portal called LearnICU.

[edit] Patient and Family Support

The Society hosts a speparate website to assist patients and their families when they are in the intensive care unit. A number of topic-specific brochures are available free to the public and also provided in several languages. The information available also provides a list of terms and questions to ask when a loved-one is in the ICU.

[edit] American College of Critical Care Medicine

In 1988, SCCM established a special body called the American College of Critical Care Medicine, and was the first organization to honor critical care practitioners whose achievements and contributions demonstrated personal commitment to the highest goals of multiprofessional critical care medicine. Organizationally, the College is a legal part of SCCM and operates under its tax exemption and governance. There are currently over 700 critical care practitioners that are members of the College, which encourages excellent multidisciplinary critical care and honors those who demonstrate personal and professional commitment to the profession. The College has developed administrative guidelines and clinical practice parameters for the critical care practitioner. New guidelines and practice parameters are continually developed, and current ones are systematically reviewed and revised and posted on both the SCCM websites as well as at the National Guidelines Clearinghouse.

[edit] Partnership Activities

Promoting critical care through communication with other healthcare organizations and national leaders is an important focus for SCCM. The Society regularly communicates with a variety of domestic and international healthcare organizations on a wide range of issues. In 1991, SCCM was seated as a specialty society member of the American Medical Association House of Delegates. The Society's advocacy efforts focus on patient care issues, access to high-quality care, graduate medical education and workforce planning, increased funding for critical care research, violence and injury prevention, and the advancement of care for critically ill and injured patients via public policy change. The Society also maintains regular communications with the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. SCCM also partners to develop and produce a variety of joint programs with the European Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine.

[edit] Key Milestones

•In 1970, 29 physicians with a major interest in the care of the critically ill and injured met in Los Angeles, California to discuss the formation of an organization committed to meeting the needs of critical care patients: the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM).
•In 1986, the American Board of Medical Specialties approved a certification of special competence in critical care for the four primary boards: anesthesiology, internal medicine, pediatrics, and surgery.
•Between 1990 and the present, critical care significantly reduced in-hospital time as well as costs incurred by patients with diseases such as cerebrovascular insufficiency and lung tumors. The development of new and complicated surgical procedures, such as transplantation of the liver, lung, small intestine, and pancreas, created a new and important role for critical care following transplantation. Widespread utilization of non-invasive patient monitoring has further reduced the cost and medical/nursing complications associated with care of critically ill and injured patients. Widespread utilization of pharmacologic therapy for critical care patients with specific organ system failure reduced time spent in both critical care units and in the health care facility.
•In 1997, more than 6,000 ICUs were operational in intensive care units across the United States caring for more than 55,000 criticall ill patients each day.