RECERTIFICATION

Introduction

            All certified perfusionists must recertify annually.   Recertification is designed to en­sure that Certified Clinical Perfusionists, through continuing education and clinical activity, continue to meet standards and possess current and adequate knowledge in the field. Recertification contains two components:

            1.         Clinical activity (reported every year)

            2.         Professional activity (reported every third year)

Online Filing

            The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion has online filing for recertification as a first choice.  The CCP may access his/her file and record cases and professional activity throughout the reporting period.  To use the online filing system, go to the ABCP website at WWW.ABCP.ORG, and click on the  “Online Filing” button in the left column for directions.

Clinical Activity Requirement

            A Certified Clinical Perfusionist is required to perform a minimum of forty (40) clinical activities annually. Clinical activities are defined as follows:

            1.         Bypass, Primary

            2.         Instructor

            3          Veno-Venous Bypass

            4.         Pump Assisted Coronary and/or Organ Perfusion (PADCAB/isolated limb perfusion)

            5.         CPS

            6.         ECMO

            7.         VAD

            8.         Documented intraoperative pump standby

            Of the 40 clinical activities, a maximum of 15 activities may be documented intraoperative pump standbys.  The standbys must be documentable in an audit.

            For each ECMO or VAD case, one case credit will be awarded for initiating and maintaining one shift (4 hours minimum), or managing one shift (8 hours minimum), or the duration of the case.

            Cases performed as the Clinical Instructor in an accredited program are considered primary

perfusions and may be included in this category.

            Students may also receive credit toward certification eligibility for the same case.

Clinical Activity Report

            Each CCP must file an annual Clinical Activity Report, which contains the following:

            1.         Clinical case summary

            2.         Authorization for Release of Information form

            3.         Recertification fee

            Report forms and online filing for the Clinical Activity Report are available on the ABCP website: WWW.ABCP.ORG.

            The first Clinical Activity Report for a newly certified perfusionist is due August 1^st, in the year following the year in which he/she successfully completes the examination process.

            All Clinical Activity Reports are due on August 1^st and cover the period of July 1^st (of the previous year) through June 30^th.

            The Certified Clinical Perfusionist must sign all perfusion records in order for the designated authority to verify the Clinical Activity Report in the audit process.

            The recertification reports may be submitted online or by Certified Mail (Return Receipt Requested).

Audit of Clinical Activity

            The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion conducts an audit to insure the accuracy of the Clinical Activity Report in order to maintain high standards and quality assurance. A percentage of Clinical Activity Reports are chosen randomly each year for audit.

            The audit process is conducted by the Chief Perfusionist, Operating Room Director or other designated hospital authority.  The Clinical Activity Report and the signed Authorization for Release of Information form are sent to the designated authority for verification. 

            It is necessary for each CCP to list a designated hospital authority for each hospital in which cases are reported.  The designated hospital authority and the addresses for the hospitals must be listed on the Hospital Address Form or the Adding a Hospital screen online. 

            If the cases cannot be verified by the designated authority, the perfusionist is contacted to provide verification of the cases and explain discrepancies.  The perfusionist is ultimately responsible to provide verification of the cases and explain discrepancies.  Should fraudulent cases be discovered, the issue is submitted to the ABCP Ethics Committee for appropriate actions.

Professional Activity Requirement

            During each three‑year reporting period every Certified Clinical Perfusionist must earn 45 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). A minimum of fifteen (15) CEUs must be earned in Category I. (See Summary of Recertification Activity below for more information.)

            Recertification is automatic, provided all reports and forms are completed, filed on time and accompanied by the appropriate filing fee.

Professional Activity Report

            Each CCP must file a Professional Activity Report every third year, which contains the following:

            1.         Documentation of continuing education efforts. Documentation is based on the Continuing Educational Unit (CEU). One Continuing Educational Unit (CEU) or contact hour activity is defined as fifty (50) minutes spent in an organized, structured or unstructured learning experience.

            2.         The Clinical Activity Report and filing fee must accompany the Professional Activity Report.

            Report forms and online filing for the Professional Activity Report are available on the ABCP website: WWW.ABCP.ORG.  Recertification reports may be submitted online or by Certified Mail (Return Receipt Requested).  

            The period covered in a Professional Activity Report is from July 1^st of one year through June 30^th three years later. Filing the Professional Activity Report is determined by the ABCP Cycle Number, which is assigned at the time of certification. Cycle one (1) will file in 2008, 2011, 2014, etc. Cycle two (2) must file in 2007, 2010, 2013 etc. Cycle three (3) must file in 2009, 2012, 2015 etc.

Recertification Filing Deadline

            All reporting periods end on June 30^th. All reports must be completed and mailed or filed online with the appropriate fee no later than midnight August 1^st.

Late Fees

            Certified perfusionists submitting recertification reports after August 1^st but prior to midnight August 31^st will be assessed a late fee of $50.00.

Extension of Certification Period

            Certified Clinical Perfusionists who are unable to fulfill recertification requirements by the end of a reporting period may request an extension of the filing deadline as follows:

                      Requests must be made in writing by the Au­gust 1^st filing deadline.

                      The appropriate report (Clinical Activity and/or Professional Activity Report(s) must be submitted, complete with all activity up to June 30^th and the appropriate filing fee.

                      If approved, the deadline will be extended to January 31^st of the following year at which time the application must be completed and a late fee ($50.00) paid.

                      An extension will not be granted to an individual more than once during a three-year period or to an individual on probation.

Probationary Status

            A CCP who fails to submit the completed recertification application with appropriate fee by the August 1^st deadline and does not formally request an extension will be placed on probation. Probation shall last a maximum of one reporting year.

Reinstatement

            A perfusionist on probation must apply to the ABCP for reinstatement before the next August 1st filing deadline. The petition for reinstatement must include:

            1.         an explanation in writing of the reasons for not completing the recertification require­ments for the previous year;

            2.         a completed recertification application for the delinquent reporting year;

            3.         a completed recertification application for the current reporting year; and

            4.         payment of all normal filing fees, a $50.00 Late Filing Fee and a Reinstatement Fee equal to one‑half of the current filing fee.

            Loss of Certification

            A CCP will lose certification if he/she:

            1.         is on probation and does not successfully meet the requirements for reinstatement; or

            2.         is  found guilty of unethical conduct as described in the Ethical Standards of the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (Appendix IV); or

            3.         falsifies any portion of a recertification application.

            The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion shall be the sole judge of whether or not the information before it is sufficient to require or permit revocation of any certificate issued by the ABCP, and the decision of the ABCP thereon shall be final. Certified Clinical Perfusionists who lose or are in danger of losing certification may make formal written appeal to the ABCP.

Re-entry into the Certification Process

            A perfusionist may petition the ABCP for re-entry into the certification process, and then meet the following stipulations:

            1.         Apply for, take and pass the appropriate examination(s):

                        a.         If uncertified for less than three years, applicant must take the Clinical Applications in Perfusion Examination only.

                        b.         If uncertified for three years or more, the applicant must take both the Perfusion Basic Science Examination and the Clinical Applications in Perfusion Examination and submit a list of 100 clinical perfusions performed since date of his/her request, and submit a letter of clinical competency from his/her supervisor.

            2.         Remit the appropriate exam fee(s)

            3.         Remit a Reinstatement Fee of $250.00

            The ABCP must also approve perfusionists who have lost certification because of unethical conduct for re-entry.

Recertification Notification

            Upon receipt of a completed recertification application and appropriate fee(s), a new time-limited certificate will be issued to each CCP every third year. For the ensuing years, dated stickers will be issued which must be attached to the current certificate to extend the certificate’s validity. The certificates and date stickers issued by the ABCP are the sole property of the ABCP and may be canceled at its discretion. By acceptance of the certificate, the holder agrees to return the certificate to the ABCP upon demand. Presentation and display of the certificate is permitted only when it is current and valid. Presentation, display, or any other use of an outdated, invalid certificate is expressly prohibited.

Inactive Status

            At times, a CCP will be unable to maintain certification because of a deficiency in either clinical and/or professional activity. For this reason, and because many individuals wish to maintain an acknowledgment of having been certified, an inactive status may be requested. Individuals on Inactive Status will receive all publications from the ABCP and have their names published in the Booklet of Information. The mechanism for obtaining inactive status is:

            1.         After notification of loss of certification, notify the ABCP National Office of the desire to be placed on Inactive Status.

            2.         Sign an agreement to discontinue the use of the title, “CCP”.

            3.         Remit annual fee to ABCP National Office prior to August 1^st.

Change of Address

            Certified Clinical Perfusionists are responsible for informing the National Office of the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion of their current address. This must be specifically brought to the attention of the National Office of the ABCP. Failure to do so may result in loss of certification.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

            Continuing education units are categorized according to type of educational activity. The following is a description of the various continuing education categories.

Category I - Accredited Perfusion Meetings and Other Perfusion Related Activity.

            Perfusion meetings are those programs and seminars in which a minimum of 75% of the contact hours consists of perfusion related material. Only those meetings approved by the ABCP will qualify for Category I CEUs. Examples include:

                      International, national, regional, and state perfusion meetings.

                      Publication of perfusion related book chapter or paper in a professional journal.

                      Presentation at an international, national, regional or state perfusion meeting.

                      Participation in a site visitors workshop or as a site visitor for perfusion program accreditation.

                      Participation in the ABCP Knowledge Base Survey.

                      Completion of ABCP approved Self Directed Continuing Education (SDCE) material.

                        This activity may be either online or in written format.  Participant must take the required post-test and achieve a minimum score of 80% to receive credit.

Category II — Non‑Accredited Perfusion Meetings and Other Medical Meetings.

            Category II includes international, national, regional, state and local meetings that have not been approved for CEU credit by the ABCP. Examples include:

                      International, national, regional, and state, perfusion meetings that have not been accredited by the ABCP.

                      Local perfusion meetings (do not require ABCP accreditation). Any perfusion meeting NOT EQUALLY ACCESSIBLE to the general CCP community, including manufacturer-specific and company‑sponsored educational activities.

                      International, national, regional, or local medically‑related meetings.

Category III — Individual Education and Other Self‑Study Activities Not Approved for Category I Credit

            Credit in Category III is acquired on an hour for hour basis of the time spent in these non‑accredited or non‑supervised activities. Examples include:

                      Reading or viewing medical journals, audio‑visual, or other educational material.

                      Participation in electronic forums.

                      Participation in a journal club.

                      Participation in degree‑oriented, professionally related course work.

                      Presentation of perfusion topic at a non-perfusion meeting.

                      Clinical or didactic instructor in an accredited school of perfusion.

                      Participation in an ABCP survey or examination development meeting.

DOCUMENTATION

            As of June 30, 2001, it is the responsibility of each perfusionist to retain supporting documentation reflecting the activity in which he or she has been engaged which would support professional activities.  Random audits will be performed annually on a percentage of Professional Activity Reports as a validating procedure.  Failure to produce the necessary documentation, should the perfusionist be the subject of the random audit, could result in loss of the CCP credential.  The perfusionist is ultimately responsible to provide verification of professional activity and explain discrepancies. Acceptable documentation is as follows:

Category I

                      Approved Perfusion Meetings:  An official document from the meeting sponsor documenting attendance and the number of CEUs received.

                      Perfusion Publications: Complete reference of book or article (authors, title, journal and date/volume of journal).

                      Perfusion presentation: Copy of program agenda.

                      Participation in ABCP Knowledge Base Survey: Documentation will be kept by the ABCP. No additional documentation is necessary.

                      Self Directed Continuing Education (SDCE) Material: An official document form the sponsor documenting successful completion of post-test on ABCP approved material and number of CEUs awarded.

Category II

            A certificate of attendance issued by a professional organization that states the CEUs awarded must be provided.

Category III — Self Study Activities Not Approved for Category I Credit

            All self‑study activities will require an official record of completion or written summary of the activity.

            Clinical and didactic instructors in accredited programs must provide a letter of confirmation of their status from the Program Director. For didactic instructors, course title and contact hours must be documented by Program Director.

            Participation in an ABCP Survey or Examination Development Meeting will be kept by the ABCP and will not require additional documentation.

CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM APPROVAL

Category I CEU Approval Procedure

            Only international, national, regional, and state perfusion meetings, approved in advance by the ABCP, may qualify for Category I CEUs. Sponsors of international, national, regional, and state perfusion meetings must complete all requirements for approval prior to the date of the meeting. No meeting will be approved for Category I CEUs after the date of the meeting.

            Local perfusion meetings and other perfusion meetings not equally accessible to the general CCP community are not eligible for Category I CEUs and do not need ABCP approval.       

            The ABCP does not authorize the use of phrases indicating that approval by the ABCP is pending. The advertising or marketing of a meeting as having ABCP approval without written confirmation is expressly prohibited.

            The procedure for obtaining ABCP approval for programs seeking Category I CEUs is as follows:

            1.         The ABCP National Office should receive requests at least thirty days prior to the date of the meeting.

            2.         A completed application (letter of request) includes:

                        a.         a copy of the program identifying the meeting sponsor, chairperson, moderators and faculty;

                        b.         a timed agenda specifying topics and presenters;

                        c.         titles, credentials and/or qualifications of all faculty;

                        d.         a sample of the following:

                                              Meeting evaluation form

                                              Daily sign-in sheet

                                              Certificate or letter of CEU credit; and

                        e.         an application fee ($100.00).

            The ABCP National Office will notify the meeting sponsor of any deficiency in the application. Upon receipt of a completed application, the ABCP will assign the appropriate CEUs and notify the sponsor within 14 days. Applications not completed thirty (30) days prior to date of meeting must include a $50.00 Late Fee. Applications not completed by the date of the meeting will NOT be approved for Category I CEUs.

Self Directed Continuing Education (SDCE)

            To obtain Category I credit, the SDCE material should meet the following criteria:

                      The length should be 50 minutes of activity or ten full pages of text per CEU.

                      Include a post-test that contains a minimum of eight questions per CEU.  Post-tests are to be graded by the sponsor and participants are to achieve an 80% pass rate in order to receive credit.

                      Application fee for SDCE shall be $100.00 payable to the ABCP.

                      SDCE content must meet all current Category I requirements.

                      SDCE material available for more than one year must have CEUs renewed each year.

Attendance Verification Policy

            All Category I CEU approved meetings will require participants to sign‑in once a day to verify attendance. Photo identification will be required for participants to obtain registration materials.  Meeting sponsors are required to clearly post or display the sign‑in period(s).

            Meeting sponsors are required to provide verification to all attendees in the form of an official document such as a letter or certificate, specifying the total number of CEUs earned by each individual. This letter or certificate will serve as official verification of attendance and CEUs earned.  Sponsors are required to maintain attendance records for four years.

SUMMARY OF RECERTIFICATION ACTIVITY