In High Gear: The SICP Annual Board Members` Meeting, February 7-10, 2002

President Roger Siegfried discussed the society’s continued relationship with HMP Communications and our newly formed alliance with Allied Health Technology Associates (AHTA) (Julie Hillier). Mr. Siegfried also introduced two new board members, Mr. Ken Gorski and Mr. Tom Salerno. Ken Gorski joins us from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and he will be the Chairman for our Education and Standards Committee. Tom Salerno, from New Jersey, will also be assisting with this task. There were several new committees established, and we will be asking the membership for participation on these committees. The SICP bylaws are currently being updated by Chris Nelson. The Orientation Standards are also under review, and will be updated to incorporate new modalities and policies currently utilized in cardiovascular laboratories across the country. As a member of the SICP, you can get involved with this task; if interested contact Marsha Holton via email at: MARSHASICP@aol.com How You Can Help We are asking our members to become more involved with the SICP. You can pick your venue: consider joining a committee or submitting an article for publication. If writing an article may appears easier said than done, you could submit an interesting case review. Working at a teaching hospital has a few perks if you are involved with any of the leading edge technologies, why not submit an article discussing your experiences (as long as the vendor approves it for release)? You could also submit a case highlighting the new device or modality. Sharing this information with your peers is invaluable. Remember, many of these patients will return to the referring physician, or be followed by their community physician and healthcare facilities. Guidance for Newbies Also, let’s not forget the new kid on the block. If you have new employees or students that are training in your institution, tell them about the SICP. We are currently undertaking a membership campaign. Membership applications are in each Cath Lab Digest issue, or you can go to our website www.SICP.com to register online. Certified Education Programs Jeff Davis gave an overview on the accreditation process for Allied Health Education Programs. The JRC-CVT (Joint Review Committee on Education for C.V. Technology), established in 1985, is responsible for actually granting accreditation to different C.V. technology programs. The JRC-CVT is the investigative arm of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The JRC-CVT’s role within CAAHEP is to: Assess cardiovascular technology programs Perform site visits Ensure adherence to national standards In 1994, a commission referred to as C.A.A.H.E.P was established, (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs). This commission is responsible for the accreditation of 18 different fields of specialty, including C.V. Technology and Paramedics. The SICP’s mission is to create language that will define our profession, one that the C.A.A.H.E.P. recognizes as unique to the field of cardiovascular technology. It’s crucial that we as a profession are not lumped together with other specialties that may not require specialized training, and thus do not receive the respect afforded to credentialed professions. Web Initiatives With time and resources stretched to the limit, there was discussion about offering web-based educational opportunities. The SICP website will be enhanced to include online CEUs and one-stop shopping for registration to take the appropriate Registry Examination, access study modules, updates on published clinical trial data, etc. A Final Note Your SICP Board members are busy working for the organization. We ask for our membership to become more involved. You can email Andrea Davis at ANDREARCVT@aol.com if you have publication submissions. Applications for Fellowship are available online at the website as well.

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