Critical Care Education and Research Foundation - 2003 Annual Report

David Julian Martin, CAE

With 2003 behind us, it’s my pleasure to provide you with this report of the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s (SCCM) activities. Whether you are a longtime SCCM member, a new member, a contributor to the Society’s Foundation, or considering joining SCCM, I think you will concur that 2003 was our best year yet.

Our goals for 2003 were to: enhance and expand offerings and distribution of SCCM educational programs; promote access to compassionate, patient-centered care delivered by a multiprofessional, intensivist-directed team; and develop ICU patient safety initiatives that will reduce medical errors and lessen variability in delivery of care.

The year began with another record-breaking Annual Critical Care Congress. It was not only a year for top attendance – program content reached new heights. This success set the stage for an outstanding accomplishment at the Society’s first ever Summit on ICU Quality and Cost, followed by a successful ESICM jointly-sponsored Summer Conference on Hemodynamic Monitoring and overflowing attendance at the Society’s annual Multidisciplinary Critical Care Review Course.

While these programs surpassed expectations programmatically as well as in member participation, the large crowds did present operational challenges. As a result, SCCM staff have taken steps to ensure that meeting facilities in 2004 can accommodate all who wish to participate. New programs in 2004 include meetings such as the International Consensus Conference in Intensive Care Medicine: The Management of Acute Pancreatitis; the Summer Conference in Intensive Care Medicine – Mechanical Ventilation: Current Trends and Future Directions; and Pharmacotherapy in Critical Illness: Evidence and Controversy.

The Society’s publishing operations also experienced a number of successes in 2003. In fact, SCCM was pleased to be the first healthcare organization to produce a text exclusively for medical professionals facing natural and man-made disasters. Fundamentals of Disaster Management was enthusiastically received by SCCM members and the public. Complimentary copies were distributed to key government agencies and portions of the publication will soon be posted on the SCCM Web site to assist practitioners during times of crisis.

In addition, SCCM released the monograph, Sepsis: Pathophysiologic Insights, and the Fifth Edition of the popular Self-Assessment in Multidisciplinary Critical Care. A monograph and interactive CD-ROM from the successful Summit on ICU Quality and Cost along with the only book written expressly about coding for the ICU, Coding and Billing for Critical Care, rounded out a year of record publication activity with overall publication sales up 25% over the prior year.

These activities were in addition to another year of thought-provoking articles in our flagship journal, Critical Care Medicine (CCM), and its sister publication, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM). Both journals implemented new features in 2003. Critical Care Medicine launched a new bi-monthly section entitled “Concise Definitive Reviews in Critical Care Medicine,” with R. Phillip Dellinger, MD, FCCM as editor. In addition to the monthly issues of CCM, eight supplement issues were published in 2003, including meeting proceedings and general topics of interest such as ethics and wound healing.

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine began offering continuing education credit in each issue beginning with the January 2003 issue. In addition to translating abstracts into Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish, Italian was added as well. The most noteworthy development for PCCM is that beginning with the January 2004 issue, the journal transitioned from a quarterly publication to a bi-monthly publication.

The Society’s bi-monthly news magazine, Critical Connections, also experienced a banner year, with cutting-edge themed issues, the addition of a “Vital News” section aimed at providing the latest events, studies and technologies in critical care, and enhanced design elements. Furthermore, the magazine continues to feature Success stories, which highlight organizations that have successfully implemented the multidisciplinary team model in their ICUs, and Coding Corner, an essential resource for practitioners coding critical care services.

In 2004, members can anticipate the release of three sister publications detailing the results of the Society’s surveys on ICU Benchmarking, including ICU Operations, Salary and Benefits, and Contracts and Job Descriptions. In addition, look for the first release of the Critical Care Assessment of Resource Efficiency and Safety (CCARES) program. This program will integrate quality and outcome measures with patient safety concepts to assist ICUs in assessing their overall performance.

The Society along with Joint Commission Resources, a subsidiary of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), has produced an important new book entitled, Improving Care in the ICU. The Joint Commission and SCCM collaborated to address the applicability of hospital- and disease-specific standards to the ICU, focusing on patient care. The book includes valuable information about various facets of the ICU and solutions to the multitude of challenges that occur in and around the ICU.

Additional milestones include a dramatic increase in participation in the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) course (trainees increased by 50%). The course continues to gain exposure throughout the United States and internationally.

Through the active efforts of volunteers, SCCM continues to reach critical care professionals and the public through informational brochures and updates. The Society produced seven ICU waiting room brochures, video and public radio news releases on important public health issues, and a comprehensive tips brochure, Improving Your ICU: Tips for Better Care. As a result, many of the Society’s efforts and a number of SCCM members received significant press coverage. The Society also continues to be involved with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign.

On the partnership front, SCCM continues to build bridges with other organizations in developing collaborative relationships. Along with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), and the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Society continues to identify solutions related to the critical care workforce. In January 2003, the presidents of each organization presented the Framing Options for Critical Care in the United States (FOCCUS) Work Group’s paper that reviews the delivery of healthcare within the United States and provides recommendations to redefine how that care is delivered using the current personnel. From the FOCCUS paper, SCCM supported The Critical Care Medicine Crisis: Call for Federal Action white paper sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)-Health Resources and Services Administration.

The Society also enjoys a growing relationship with Joint Commission Resources and has a member sitting at the table with the American College of Physicians Council of Subspecialties Societies.

In addition, HHS joined with key national leaders and practitioners from the nation’s transplantation and hospital communities in April 2003 to launch the Organ Donation Collaborative. The Society has donated booth space at the 2004 Critical Care Congress to this effort.

The Society continues to collaborate with the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), and Société de Réanimation de Langue Française (SRLF) to bring current clinical information to the international community by holding the International Consensus Conference in Intensive Care Medicine. The 2004 conference will be held in Washington, D.C., April 15-16, and will focus on the Management of Acute Pancreatitis.

In addition, SCCM and ESICM will again jointly sponsor the Summer Conference in Intensive Care Medicine. This year’s topic is Mechanical Ventilation: Current Trends and Future Directions and the conference will be held June 25-27, 2004 in New York City.

The Society’s advocacy efforts include the continued work of the Critical Care Work Group (CCWG). This multi-organizational group continues to review and address reimbursement issues for the critical care provider. In April 2003, CCWG met with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss inconsistencies in the Carrier Manual related to reimbursement at the local carrier levels and refinement of the definition of critical care. The group is awaiting a response and/or release of the revised manual.

Furthermore, SCCM continues to work with the American Medical Association (AMA) on its RBRVS Update Committee (RUC), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and through the AMA House of Delegates. The Society has published Coding and Billing for Critical Care, and recently collaborated with ATS and ACCP to help pass a resolution that addresses the pending physician shortage and its implications for critical care.

Significant efforts related to Research Ethics have been initiated over the past year, especially in light of the issues surrounding the ARDSNet Trial. The Society’s Council addressed the issue after reviewing a background paper prepared by a combined work group from the Research and Ethics Committees. These efforts were followed by discussions with Joint Leadership, and SCCM representatives attended two national conferences on the subject.

Because of these many successes, SCCM membership grew to over 11,000, up from approximately 9,000 just three years prior. In addition, gross operating revenues reached a record high of $11 million, and net revenues exceeded budgetary goals by nearly 100%, permitting the Society to increase its investment in future activities. The Foundation, only in its second year of activity, doubled its fundraising goals. Those funds will be used specifically as set forth by the generous donors to expand programming in designated areas.

In all, 2003 was an exceptionally successful year for SCCM. The Society continued to fulfill its mission to secure the highest quality care for all critically ill patients. New programs flourished, providing the Society with a stable financial base to improve and expand its activities in 2004 and beyond. Through increased membership, active participation in SCCM programs, and the generous support of donors and program sponsors, we were able to greatly surpass our expectations and make significant advances toward our envisioned future of a health system in which all critically ill and injured persons obtain optimum care in an optimum setting, resulting in improved outcomes.

Thank you to each and everyone one of you who contributed to SCCM’s success through the commitment of your time, participation and generous support. You have helped the Society achieve its goals in 2003 and have paved the way for improved programs and products in 2004. Nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, physicians, and other ICU team members all working together to make significant advances in care for the critically ill … this is what SCCM is about. We’re so pleased to have you as part of our team!

Critical Care Education and Research Foundation (CCERF)

The Society of Critical Care Medicine’s (SCCM) Critical Care Education and Research Foundation (CCERF) experienced a promising 2003 fiscal year. The Foundation helps sustain the Society by securing funding for critical care research and education, as well as providing valuable information to the public by securing contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. Because of these gifts, the Society continues its efforts in advancing the critical care profession, serving its members and promoting patient safety.

Through several membership appeals and a successful campaign at the 32nd Critical Care Congress, the CCERF received nearly 500 gifts in 2003. The Society extends its appreciation to SCCM members and friends for their generosity in supporting the CCERF. View list of contributions.

These gifts were designated as follows:

• Research: Designated for SCCM research programs.

• Unrestricted: Funds will support the general mission and programs of the Society.

• Patient Safety Research Grant: Restricted to fund a new Patient Safety Research Grant.*

• FCCS: Restricted to provide Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) course licenses to organizations in developing or impoverished countries.*

• ACCM Guidelines and Practice Parameters: Restricted to the Society’s American College of Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) for the development of a new guideline or practice parameter.*

• Other: Designated for the development of new patient and family educational materials, the Society's Registered Nurse Specialty Section, and to sponsor a fellow's one-year membership to SCCM.



















Help make these programs happen. Only $55,000 is needed to fund
a new Patient Safety Research Grant, $1,500 for an FCCS License,
and $19,000 for a new ACCM Guideline and Practice Parameter.