Recertification Requirements

The aims of the EBCP recertification programme are to ensure that all clinical perfusionists holding the ECCP are firstly employed as clinical perfusionists, secondly performing a minimum number of extracorporeal circulations (ECC) per year, and thirdly striving to learn and remain informed about clinical and scientific developments in the perfusion profession.

The requirements for recertification have been amended as of January 2004 to bring the EBCP recertification in line with already existing European (and overseas) recertification programmes. The minimium amount of points to be achieved in the clinical part have been reduced from 100 to 40 points per year (see more detailed information in the following paragraphs). The minimum amount of points per year in postgraduate education remains the same, i. e. 40 points per year. Recertification points can now also be gained through being a moderator/chairperson at a conference or seminar, the in-house postgraduate education activities have been more clearly defined and a list of recognised international conferences has been drawn up. The EBCP feels that the requirements for recertification are not above the normal experience level of any practising perfusionist.

All perfusionists who hold the European Certificate in Cardiovasclar Perfusion (ECCP) are obliged to recertify in 3-yearly intervals. The interval of recertification corresponds to the calendar year, i.e. January to December. Those perfusionist who recertified in Sept. 2002, for instance, will need to submit documentation of their clinical activity and postgraduate education (recertification forms I to IV) to their national EBCP delegate in Dec. 2005. Recertification, however, takes place every year, depending on the individual perfusionist`s date of acquiring the ECCP.
Upon successful completion of the recertification process, each perfusionist will receive an EBCP recertification card, containing name, ECCP number, period of recertification duration and date of next recertification deadline. The card may be kept by the perfusionist as proof for employers of the current status of certification. A new card will be issued for each new period of recertification.

The fee for recertification, valid for three years, is 48 Euro. Payment is possible by credit card or cheque. Alternatively, the national delegate or national society can organise to pool payments, this allows the possibility of electronic bank transfers.

Also new as of January 2004 is a certification registry on the EBCP homepage listing all ECCP holders whose certificates are currently valid, either through recent EBCP examination or recertification. (Perfusionists who do not wish their names to appear on this list should tick the box provided on recertification form I.). This certification registry is accessible to the
general European public who has a legitimate right to know if perfusionists holding the ECCP keep themselves professionally updated with respect to knowledge and continued practical experience. Furthermore, employing hospitals that assume the special duties of facilitating post-graduate employee education and maintaining quality improvement of medical practice under ISO 9000 standards have privileged access to EBCP confirmation of the validity of their employees European Certificates.

I. Employment Requirements:

Employment as clinical perfusionist has to be confirmed by signature and stamp by the hospital personnel department. In case of unemployment as clinical perfusionist:
a. At the time of re-certification and up to 18 months: Provisional recertification will be granted for one year while the perfusionist will be required to undertake a supervised 6 month re-introduction into perfusion at the institution of employment and submit documentation of 30 ECC in the EBCP Logbook completed at a satisfactory score and verified by the chief perfusionist.
b. Beyond 18 months and up to 4 years: The perfusionist must undertake a supervised 6 month re-introduction into perfusion, submit documentation of 30 ECC in the EBCP Logbook completed at a satisfactory score with verification of the chief perfusionist as well as successfully complete the EBCP written examination.
c. More than 4 years: The perfusionist must go through a carefully supervised 6 month re-introduction into perfusion, the entire examination process must be taken, including the written, practical and oral examination and completion of the EBCP Logbook documenting 100 perfusion cases completed at a satisfactory score with verification of the chief perfusionist.

II. Clinical Activity:

A minimum of 40 points per year is required, 30 points of which have to be ECC in cardiac surgery. Should a perfusionist not perform more than the minimum required 30 ECC, an additional 10 points can be gained as outlined in the following table. It is, of course, possible to achieve the minimum required recertification points by submitting documentation of 40 ECC, without other clinical activities. Clinical activity is to be documented on recertification form Ia, alternatively a printout of the perfusion database containing date, procedure and perfusionist (note: no patient data!) is also permissible. Verification is through signature by the head perfusionist or medical director.

III. Post-graduate perfusion education:

A minimum of 40 points per year is required and to be documented. Each activity should be listed using forms II and III and accompanied with evidence such as proof of seminar/ conference attendance slip or conference registration receipt; copy of published paper or abstract with date and name of publication; signature of chief perfusionist for in-house presentations and courses. Recertification points are awarded as follows:

Passive attendance

Active attendance

Publications

20 points per year for self-study are awarded without documentation. This activity is recognised by the EBCP as being accomplished by every serious perfusionist and will not require proof.
Presentation at a congress enables the perfusionist to claim points for both active and passive participation.

The list of in-house activities through which points can be obtained has now been more clearly defined by the EBCP in recognition of the many professional activities performed by the perfusionist which do not come under the original passive and active headings and which contribute to perfusion education. These are to be documented on form II.

In-house: Personal postgraduate learning activities

*The EBCP defines enduring materials as printed, recorded or computer-assisted instructional materials, which may be used over time at various locations and which, in themselves, constitute a planned activity of continuing medical education. Examples of such materials for independent learning by perfusionists include: programmed texts, audio tapes, videotapes, Internet CME, and other computer-assisted instructional materials which are used alone or in combination with written materials. Not included are « reference materials » such as books, journals or manuals, these are included in the 20 points which may be claimed for self-study.

National & International Congresses

In order to decrease the confusion of the definition of national and international congress, the EBCP has compiled a list of those congresses that it determines to be international. National societies that wish to upgrade their congress may apply to the EBCP by using the application forms obtainable from the EBCP homepage.

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES

Note: Local and national non-English congresses, seminars, courses and workshops as well as non-English publications must be verified by the national delegate or national perfusion society. The EBCP will verify international activities and English publications. The perfusionist's supervisor will verify "teaching" assignments.

IV. Failure to re-certify:
In order to obtain re-certification, the perfusionist who fails to submit re-certification documentation by the deadline must submit the required documents covering the previous three years as well as for the lapsed time since the deadline. The perfusionist will receive re-certification only for the remaining time of the original three-year recertification period, e.g., one-year over-due, the remaining two years of the three year period. The fee for the lapsed period will also have to be paid.
If you have any questions regarding what is required, please contact your national delegate in the first instance. If further assistance is required, please write to the Secretary of the Certification Sub-committee:

Ms Renate Behr

The European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion
Department Cardiovascular Surgery Cardiovascular Perfusion

City Hospital Triemli Zürich

Birmensdorferstrasse 497

8063 Zürich /Switzerland

Download Recertification Form:

Recertification Requirements.pdf (Acrobat)

Recertification Requirements .doc (Word)