Committed to Critical Care—Volunteers Are the Lifeblood of SCCM

David Julian Martin, CAE
Diana Hughes, Director of Governance

In 1970, 28 individuals dedicated to advancing the field of critical care met and founded the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). Until the first headquarters office was opened in 1978 in Fullerton, California, the Society was run exclusively by its volunteers.

Today, we’re often asked, “How many people work for SCCM?” The answer is, “nearly 600.” While a professional staff of more than 40 is located at the headquarters office in Chicago, Illinois, SCCM volunteers remain the lifeblood of the organization. In fact, well over 500 dedicated critical care professionals volunteer their time and energy developing and producing SCCM’s many programs.

Volunteers spend their time working collaboratively within committees, task forces, special bodies, special interest sections, and other work groups to further the mission and vision of SCCM. Their work often includes program planning, writing guidelines and developing publications, educating, advocating on behalf of critically ill and injured patients, and acting as liaisons between SCCM and other organizations.

Recently, SCCM undertook an “inventory” of functional competencies and considered the diversity of its volunteer workforce. The Society remains committed to matching individuals’ strengths with available opportunities so that committees benefit from the many advantages of a diverse group of individuals.

Volunteering for SCCM takes a certain amount of commitment. The Society asks its volunteers to commit the necessary time and effort to accomplish established goals, keep SCCM interests in focus over individual interests, respect the confidentiality of the committee/volunteer process, and support a culture of philanthropy by contributing to the charitable activities of the organization. In addition, SCCM volunteers agree to uphold the following four duties:

Duty of Care. Member volunteers exercise a duty of care to act in a reasonable and informed manner when participating in SCCM work group activities. The duty of care includes regularly attending all scheduled meetings, exercising independent judgment based solely on what is in the Society’s overall best interest, irrespective of other entities with which the volunteer is affiliated or sympathetic. Society volunteers thus act in accordance with the Society’s articles of incorporation, bylaws and policies, as well as applicable regulations.

Duty of Loyalty. SCCM volunteers also agree to perform their duties in good faith and in the best interests of the Society, rather than in one’s own interests. Volunteers, therefore, are always conscious of the potential for conflicts of interest and act with candor and care in dealing with such situations. They maintain confidentiality in all matters involving the Society until there has been general public disclosure.

Duty of Obligation. SCCM volunteers articulate and support the decisions of the Society whenever it could be inferred that they are speaking on behalf of SCCM and represent the reasons for such decisions, irrespective of any individual interests, opinions or positions.

Duty of Disclosure. SCCM volunteers understand the importance of their volunteer positions and understand that any felony charges, restrictions, suspensions, or revocations of licenses or hospital privileges may negatively impact the Society. Therefore, volunteers disclose any of these to the SCCM President.

Each year, all SCCM volunteers are asked to sign a form that states that he or she has read and agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policies, which include the duties above. This form outlines volunteer obligations, requests appropriate disclosures and assigns to SCCM the rights to use works created for the Society during their tenure as a volunteer.

Because the Society values its volunteers and appreciates the dedication of its membership, it also provides accident insurance benefits for all volunteers. These include: accidental death and dismemberment benefits, costs of medical evacuation and repatriation when traveling on behalf of the Society, coverage in war risk areas, and much more.

In addition, the “Volunteer Protection Act of 1997” was enacted into law by the United States Congress (111 Stat. 218) to limit lawsuits against volunteers serving nonprofit public and private organizations such as SCCM. The act was developed in response to the withdrawal of volunteers from service to nonprofit organizations because of concerns about possible liability. By limiting lawsuits against such volunteers, it was thought that the number of volunteers would increase, thus promoting the ability of nonprofit organizations and governmental entities to provide services at a reasonable cost. The act generally provides that, if a volunteer meets certain criteria, he or she has a complete defense to an action and has no liability. Even when a volunteer does not meet the criteria, he or she may still have some protection against awards of non-economic and punitive damages, as long as the volunteer has not engaged in specific types of prohibited conduct. However, the act does not prohibit lawsuits against volunteers; at best, it provides a defense for the volunteer, if and when he or she is sued.

In order to make up for the potential shortcomings of this law, SCCM carries liability insurance for its volunteers in the event of a suit. This insurance covers acts which arise solely out of the discharge of the volunteer’s duties on behalf of SCCM. This specialized insurance covers the following:

• Any actual or alleged act, error, misstatement, omission, neglect or breach of duty by the volunteer
• Any actual or alleged personal injury or publishers liability, including but not limited to: libel, slander, false arrest, invasion of privacy, defamation of character, plagiarism, infringement of a copyright or trademark
• Any actual or alleged violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Clayton Act or similar federal, state or local statutes or rules

With legal protections in place, SCCM volunteers are then in a position to begin their work developing the Society’s many programs. To ensure the success of these efforts, SCCM employs a wide range of professional association management staff. These staff partners team with volunteer work groups and serve as a valuable resource, as they are familiar with SCCM policies, activities, programs, publications, pending projects, and Society resources and capabilities.

Furthermore, SCCM is knowledgeable and experienced in areas such as publication production, meeting and conference management, finance, marketing, political science, law, public health, and other areas to ensure each project achieves its goals. Staff also coordinate the logistics of volunteer activities, including arranging conference calls and meetings, working with committee chairs to develop agendas and other materials, and creating and providing documentation on current projects. This combination of workforce (both paid and volunteer) has proven extremely productive for SCCM.

Each volunteer activity receives a budget to cover expenses. These budgets are usually drafted by the staff partner working in conjunction with the work group’s chair. Staff partners are a valuable resource when it comes to managing the budget, and volunteers should not hesitate to contact staff regarding budget matters. Once budgets are developed, they are reviewed by the Society’s Finance Committee, and most are eventually approved by the Society’s top governing body, the elected Council.

Leadership Training
To ensure that SCCM’s large workforce understands how to complete these work projects, SCCM hosts a leadership training day biannually. On January 14, 2005, prior to the 34th Critical Care Congress, SCCM’s volunteer and staff workforce will gather in Phoenix, Arizona. This unique opportunity brings the entire workforce together in one place to learn about upcoming activities. The tentative agenda for the upcoming invitational session covers strategic planning, Society policies and procedures, leadership training, and potential for leadership roles as an SCCM volunteer. The day will culminate in a networking dinner at the Heard Museum of Native Cultures & Art in Phoenix.

We have often discussed the issue of volunteerism with colleagues in association management and are always amazed at how the culture of volunteerism is different at SCCM than at most other organizations. In a time of significant career demands and family obligations, we are struck by the dedication and commitment that the SCCM members continue to demonstrate. While other organizations struggle to find members who have the time or inclination to help their organizations, SCCM is fortunate to have a profusion of skilled, dedicated and committed volunteers willing to work for the Society in the attainment of its mission to secure the highest quality care for all critically ill and injured patients.

Thank you, SCCM volunteers! You truly are the lifeblood of the organization.