Frederick P. Ognibene, MD, FCCM
President
Society of Critical Care Medicine
SCCM's Global Community
In this issue of Critical Connections, I would like to reflect on the large and broadening international scope of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). The genesis of this topic stems from my recent visit to Singapore, where I served as faculty for the Asian Forum: Mechanical Ventilation: Advances and Controversies. This educational event, co-sponsored by SCCM and the Society of Intensive Care Medicine (Singapore), attracted 172 attendees and faculty. The most impressive aspect of attendance, however, was that participants came from 22 different countries. When I realized the magnitude of that representation for a relatively small educational event, it made me think about the full scope of SCCM’s international programs and partnerships. I worked with SCCM’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President, David Martin, CAE, and staff to compile an inventory of recent and upcoming international activities.
Conferences, courses and special lectures make up the broadest manifestation of international programming. This is consistent with the “Learn It” component of the Society’s mantra: Learn It, Deliver It, Measure It, Improve It. Geographically, we have made significant progress with our Asian and Pacific Rim partners. In mainland China, SCCM presidents gave presentations to Chinese critical care societies in Kunming (2004) and Beijing (2005). Another major educational event in Beijing included the 2005 conference, Collective Topics in Critical Care, offered to nearly 300 attendees. Over three days, SCCM faculty presented lectures in English while local critical care leaders translated. Feedback from attendees was very positive. Other Asian presentations have occurred at the Chinese Ministry of Health in Beijing (2004) and at the Taiwan Society of Critical Care Medicine meeting in Taipei (2005). To build on the success of the Asian Forum in Singapore, another forum on collective topics tentatively is planned in March 2009. The link to our Asian partners also will be apparent during the 37th Critical Care Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Two of the four Congress co-chairs are from the Pacific Rim (Japan and Australia).
Other annual and biannual educational programs cosponsored by the Society include the International Consensus Conferences (ICC), held in Budapest (2005), Paris (2006) and Montreal (2007). The Society will host the ICC conference on therapeutic hypothermia in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 2009. In addition, the Society has jointly sponsored two summer conferences with the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) in France (2003) and the Czech Republic (2006). The Society’s much anticipated 2007 conference, Nutrition as a Therapeutic Agent to Improve Critical Care Outcomes, was held in Toronto, Canada, this month. In addition to the ESICM, the conference was co-sponsored by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, the Canadian Critical Care Society, and the Canadian Society for Clinical Nutrition. These opportunities increase the Society’s international presence and allow it to continue its long tradition of working alongside partner societies to deliver high-quality educational events and materials. Other meetings initiated in collaboration with international partners include the Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine’s conference (2006), the Mexican Association of Critical Care Medicine and Intensive Therapy’s meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the Pan American and Iberic Congress of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Society of Critical Care Medicine council member Janice Zimmerman, MD, FCCM, is an elected member of the Pan American and Iberic Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine Council.
The Society also works closely with the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM). Edgar Jimenez, MD, FCCM, one of SCCM’s very active volunteers, is treasurer of WFSICCM. The Society also has developed and translated several enduring materials so that they are more accessible to our international colleagues, placing a strong focus on the Spanish-speaking community. The Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) and Fundamental Disaster Management (FDM) courses are available in Spanish, and Critical Connections is translated into Spanish and Portuguese. The Society has developed a Spanish language Web site portal. In addition to English and Spanish, FCCS also is available in Portuguese, Italian and traditional Chinese. Soon, it will be available in simplified Chinese and German, and we are exploring the possibility of a Polish translation.
The FCCS and FDM programs have become some of SCCM’s most valuable assets in educational outreach, and the Society continues to work with its international partners to make these programs easily accessible. In 2006, the Society sponsored FCCS and FDM instructor courses in Eritrea, Africa, and in Beijing during the 14th Congress of the Asia-Pacific Association of Critical Care Medicine. This year, sponsored courses were held in Singapore and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Other countries launching or sponsoring FCCS and/or FDM courses include Afghanistan, Chile, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Serbia, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Clearly, the Society has a great impact in both developed and developing countries around the world. This growth and influence is a testimony to the volunteers in these various countries who reached out and expressed interest in bringing the FCCS or FDM program to their colleagues, meetings or institutions. It also highlights the efforts of the U.S. volunteer members who frequently help organize the courses and deliver content. Educational programming is one of the Society’s greatest strengths, and its international scope in this field is broadening and growing. This is consistent with the Society’s strategic plan – to develop SCCM into the undisputed worldwide leader in advancing, promoting and supporting the care of critically ill and injured patients. The Society can achieve this goal only with dedicated staff and energetic volunteers willing to develop content, teach courses and administer programs. To each of you: gracias, danke schön, arigato, xie xie, obrigado, dziekuje and thank you.