Pillar Award Recipients

HCA Florida North Florida Hospital

The partnership created between Redline Perfusion and HCA North Florida Hospital has been invaluable to the provision of excellent perfusion care. In just a few short years, we have seen a dramatic improvement in patient outcomes. We have embraced new technologies, worked with industry partners, and were early adopters of the current standards and guidelines recommendations from AmSECT. We continually strive to promote continued learning and growth in both technical and non-technical skills, and as always, our shared commitment and focus is on patient safety and quality of care. With the help of our administrators and multi-disciplinary cardiac team we are driven by a single mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford

We are honored to accept AmSECT Pillar Award for Perfusion Excellence. This recognition means a great deal to our team. We accept it on behalf of our entire Cardiovascular Team at SMCH whose dedication, skill and teamwork make excellence possible every day. At Stanford Medicine Children's Health, we are driven by a shared mission-to heal humanity through science and compassion, one child and family at a time. We are proud to contribute to this mission by supporting our most vulnerable patients during critical moments in their care. This award reaffirms our commitment to upholding the highest standards in patient safety, continuous learning and collaboration care. Thank you, AmSECT for this recognition and for the opportunity to grow and serve with in such a remarkable organization.

Massachusetts General Hospital

The perfusion team at Massachusetts General Hospital is committed to delivering cutting-edge, patient-focused care for individuals requiring extracorporeal support. A strong emphasis is placed on fostering innovation while upholding exceptional standards across multiple areas. This commitment encompasses the development and implementation of effective orientation and training programs, as well as the strict adherence to and continuous improvement of quality assurance and quality enhancement processes. The team hosts dynamic and diverse training courses including high-fidelity simulation experiences for perfusionists, physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, ECMO specialists, surgical fellows/residents, and perfusion students. Simulation participants work through high quality, evidence-based scenarios representative of real-life events and crises in a safe and confidential atmosphere. Additionally, the perfusionists focus on the creation and maintenance of institutional protocols that align with best practices, ensuring compliance with the Standards and Guidelines set forth by the American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT). 

To guarantee the highest standards of safety and quality in patient care, Massachusetts General Hospital utilizes detailed and comprehensive checklists tailored specifically for each unique case and the corresponding mechanical device involved. This meticulous approach ensures that every aspect of patient care is thoroughly considered and addressed. In addition, the hospital employs a staffing strategy referred to as the “n+1” model. In this framework, “n” represents the number of perfusionists actively providing life support at any given moment. This model allows for flexibility and responsiveness, as adjustments can be made by the on-call perfusionist or the director of perfusion services as necessary. By implementing these strategies, Massachusetts General Hospital is committed to ensuring that all patients receive care that is not only safe but also of the utmost quality, reflecting the institution's dedication to excellence in healthcare delivery. 

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Pediatric Perfusion Team includes seven perfusionists. We are dedicated to serving each patient with a safe and quality care plan in hopes of providing them new opportunities. In addition, we are vested in the future of our profession by serving as clinical education site for students. As a team, we have worked to develop our standards and guidelines with a focus on meeting or exceeding the AmSECT Standards and Guidelines in both pediatric and adult cardiac perfusion management. We have worked to incorporate quality measures within our practice through the collaboration and support of our cardiac surgeons: Dr. Carlos Mery, Dr. David Bichell, Dr. Ziv Beckerman, Dr. Garrett Coyan, and Dr. Yishay Orr. Growth in quality measures would not be possible without the collaboration and resourceful critical thinking of our cardiac intensive care team and anesthesia colleagues who challenge us and support us in our quest to provide quality perfusion management. The pillar award is not only a reflection of the dedication, hard work, and continual improvement efforts of the pediatric perfusion team but also of the collaborative support received from our administration, cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, cardiac operating room team, mechanical support teams and critical care team. As a collaborative group, we have evoked and embraced change using medical evidence, experience, and the desire to provide the best safest care to our patients.

We describe ourselves as a team strengthened by cohesioniveness, integrity, collaboration, accountability, and resilience while being supported by a uniquely diverse network of professionals dedicated to each cardiac patient. The Mission Statement of our team is the following: “Work collaboratively to put the patient FIRST in everything we do, while promoting the development and utilizing the unique strengths of each team member to inspire evolvement within Pediatric Perfusion.” We are focused on continuous quality improvement measures to ensure that we are providing the best care available to our patient population every pump run. We are committed to providing excellence in all aspects of patient care as well as the development and promotion of our profession that has given us the opportunity to be recognized. We are honored to be a recipient of the AmSECT Pillar Award.

MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital

The Medical University of South Carolina Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility designed to transform how care is delivered to children. The hospital is a symbol in the skyline of Charleston and continues to change what's possible for children and their families. Although located in the lowcountry, SJCH supports children from around the United States and abroad. The crown jewel of Sean Jenkins Children Hospital is a pediatric and congenital heart center. At MUSC's Children's Health pediatric and congenital heart center, the mission is to provide the highest level of care and achieve the best possible outcomes for every patient. Physicians and Care team members fulfill this Mission through:

• Utilizing the most advanced medical and surgical treatment strategies tailored to the individual.
• Providing comprehensive and compassionate family centered care
• Taking a coordinated team approach both within MUSC and the referring providers.
• Leading and participating in innovative and groundbreaking discoveries

Sean Jenkins Children's hospital was ranked #2 in the Nation for cardiology and heart surgery for the best children's hospital by the US News and World Report for 2024 -2025.

The pediatric cardiovascular perfusion team is made up 5 members of dedicated and highly motivated professionals: Jeff Acsell, Alicia Stone, Dafne Andrea Chianella, Ashlyn Strickland, and Emmaline Bendell. Under the surgical leadership of Dr. Minoo Kavarana (Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center Surgical Director), Dr. Lloyd Mac Felmly, Dr. Matteo Trezzi, and Dr. Scott Bradley, the pediatric cardiovascular perfusion team supports the goals and missions of the Children's Heart Center. The SJCH CCPs are committed to advancing the profession of pediatric profusion through leadership, education, research, collaboration, and innovation. Performing over 350 pediatric and congenital cardiac cases a year, this team works tirelessly for each patient and the profession. Many are active members of national societies and state societies, specifically, AmSECT in the South Carolina Palmetto State Perfusion Society. Presenting at conferences and publishing research is one of our core pillars, as well as teaching the future perfusionists of our nation. MUSC SJCH serves as a clinical site for rotating MUSC students 12 months out of the year. Supporting the future perfusionists ensures the safety and growth needed and are evolving profession.

The MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Perfusion team is honored to receive the Pillar Award through AmSECT. This award validates the tireless hard work and countless hours of this highly specialized and dedicated team. We are very proud of our success and grateful for the unwavering support of our partners, national organizations, colleagues, and AmSECT.

Thank you.

Billings Clinic

Billings Clinic is Montana’s largest independent health care system serving Montana, Wyoming, and the western Dakotas. Billings Clinic Hospital is an integrated multi-specialty group practice with a 336-bed hospital and the regions only Level I Trauma Center. Billings Clinic cardiovascular surgery team performs some of the most complex cases in the region. The perfusion service at Billings clinic comprises a group of highly skilled clinicians focused on our mission of Health Care, Education, and Research.

As a team, we believe in perpetual learning, and implementation of the newest and most up to date technologies and practices to provide our patients with the most advanced and best care. We strive to collaborate as a team, with the help and support of our surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses, to advance our practice and create patient driven care. As a group we are excited and honored to accept the AmSect Pillar Award. Our team believes that through development and implementation of institutional protocols and guidelines that adhere to or exceed AmSect’s standards and guidelines we have been able to meet our vision and provide best in nation quality, patient safety, service, and value to our community. The team also believes that being Pillar Award recipients has helped forward our mission in providing education and has allowed us to help train the next generation of perfusionists, providing them with skills necessary to provide the highest level of patient care possible.

Kentucky Children's Hospital

At Kentucky Children’s Hospital, we provide care that has been recognized as among the best in the nation. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report honored our pediatric heart program with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, our pediatric orthopedics program with Shriners Hospital and our pediatric urology program as some of the country’s top programs. These rankings demonstrate our dedication to providing the best care possible to children of the Commonwealth.

Our team consists of 3 highly experienced perfusionists, with a commitment to best practices and quality improvement. While our team is always looking for improvement as a department, we strive to be a leading driver for advances in quality, safety, and value for the hospital and the Joint Pediatric Heart Care Program with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

We thank AmSECT for selecting us for the Pillar Award this year and wish to thank the leadership groups in Kentucky and Cincinnati for their support.

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is situated in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The Roanoke campus includes the Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School and Research Institute. Since 1982 Roanoke Memorial has offered Cardiothoracic Surgery and now, with the creation of the Cardiovascular Institute, considers it one of their signature services. Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is in the process of building a new 400,000 sq.ft. tower to house the Cardiovascular Institute.

Our staff of six perfusionists are committed to delivering the highest quality of care possible while following our mission statement - to improve the health of the communities we serve. The perfusion team, by promoting cohesiveness and open communication with a mutual respect for one another, sets an example for teamwork. Our strongest attribute is the ability to evaluate, embrace and implement change utilizing evidence-based medicine and goal directed perfusion. We fully believe in a coherent QC/QI program monitored by peer review. We are grateful for a supportive administration.

We are very pleased and honored to be a recipient of the AmSECT Pillar Award for our second term. It brings well deserved attention and appreciation within our hospital to an incredibly dedicated team.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

The Perfusion Department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is a team dedicated to providing safe and quality care to every patient, from the tiniest neonate up to the adult congenital patient. Within our institution we are not only responsible for conducting cardiopulmonary bypass in the operating room but also for managing ventricular assist devices and for cardiac ECMO support. In addition, we currently serve as a clinical affiliate for three perfusion education programs.

Our team recognizes the important role we play in the outcome of our patients. As a result, our department is always looking for ways to optimize patient care- through continuing education, research, as well as quality assurance and quality improvement programs. We also take great pride in being heavily involved in professional societies and contributing to the advancement of the pediatric perfusion knowledge base.

The Pillar Award is a reflection of our dedication to the field of cardiovascular perfusion and to the great responsibilities of the profession. We are committed to demonstrating continued excellence because we know that is what our patients and their families deserve.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Our CCHMC perfusion team is honored to continue to be recognized as a Pillar Award recipient. We strive for excellence for every patient, and this is one example of how this team continues to push that effort forward. Each member of this team is an integral part of ensuring we live up to and exceed the standard of care set by AmSECT and our peers for the practice of perfusion.

Duke University Hospital

Duke Perfusion Services provides superior patient care to over 3000 patients a year while cultivating a culture of teamwork, safety, integrity, diversity, and innovation. Duke Perfusion is one of the largest perfusion teams in the country. Scope of practice includes cardiopulmonary bypass, extracorporeal support, mechanical circulatory support, and autotransfusion for adult and pediatric patients.  Areas of expertise include major aortic surgery, advanced heart failure, heart and lung transplantation, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, blood conservation, surgical oncology, and complex congenital surgery. Duke Perfusion supports OCS/Transmedics heart procurements, inter-hospital ECMO and VAD transports, and intraoperative apheresis. The Duke Perfusion Team is devoted to our community providing perfusion services for Duke Regional Hospital and engaging in multiple outreach and service initiatives each year.

Duke Perfusionists are committed to advancing the profession through leadership in education, quality, research, and collaboration.  Duke Perfusion Faculty are clinical instructors affiliated with four perfusion schools and host over twenty perfusion students each year from Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), State University of New York Upstate Medical College (SUNY), Midwestern University, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Perfusion student rotations include both adult and pediatric perfusion as well as a specialized ECMO elective. The department hosts many courses and trainings including high fidelity simulation. The team is active in clinical, laboratory, and animal research, routinely presents regionally, nationally, and internationally in addition to being widely published. Perfusion Faculty are active members in professional societies such as NCSP, AmSECT, AACP, ELSO, ASAIO, ISHLT, AATS and STS.

Nationwide Children's Hospital

The Cardiovascular Perfusion Department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital consists of Perfusionists, MCS/ECMO Coordinators as well as a sizable bedside MCS/ECMO team. The team works seamlessly to provide exceptional care for congenital heart disease patients from womb to adult. In addition, the cardiovascular perfusion department provides care to various non-cardiac patient populations across the state, nation and world. Our team continually identifies and increases our roles and responsibilities within the hospital and collaborative with sister hospitals.

We have an ever-advancing quality & safety program that has a foundation in AmSECT’s Standards and Guidelines as well as an electronic perfusion/MCS/ECMO record that incorporates safety alerts in real-time for not only the Perfusionist but the MCS/ECMO bedside team as well. In an effort to enhance the NCH cardiovascular perfusion department’s quality and safety program, a Quality Strategist, who specializes in clinical outcomes, has been engaged to assist the team. The perfusion department has representatives that hold positions on both the hospital’s and The Heart Center’s quality and safety committees. The department is heavily involved with many of our professional societies with some members holding board and committee seats with AmSECT.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Perfusion team’s Mission Statement: Working and supporting one another as a team, we will achieve the safest and best patient outcomes by embracing education, training and growth all while utilizing current equipment, novel techniques and medical knowledge. This pillar award validates the hard work our team has put into becoming a respected center for Cardiovascular Perfusion. We are honored to be part of AmSECT, proud of the team’s efforts and are humbled to receive this award.

Emory University Hospital

Emory University Hospital is one of three hospitals within the Emory Healthcare system providing cardiac surgery and ECMO services in the Atlanta area.  The Perfusion team at Emory University Hospital prides itself on the wide range of surgeries and the complexity of those surgeries being done.  The Perfusion team’s core belief to better patient safety, patient outcomes, and team cohesiveness is teamwork.   Through the use of AmSECT protocols and guidelines along with site and surgeon specific protocols, the perfusion staff strive to provide the best care possible. 

The Perfusion team is honored to be awarded the AmSECT Pillar Award.  The award validates the team’s hard work in maintaining protocols, continued work in QA/QI initiatives, team education, and overall commitment to patient care.
 

Maine Medical Center

As the flagship hospital for MaineHealth and largest hospital in the state, Maine Medical Center is comprised of 700 beds which support some of the most complex cases in the region. The Department of Perfusion Services at Maine Medical Center is a dedicated team of professionals comprised of unique skillsets with safety and innovation at the forefront for advancement of patient care. As a team, they believe that as technology grows so should the quality, and more importantly the safety, of care to the patients. The MMC Perfusion team is an important part of the Cardiovascular Service Line as a whole, and together their team-based approach allows them to deliver safe, high-quality care while adhering to the expected standards. Through pragmatic, team-based initiatives, improvement of patient care algorithms, cultural safety, and patient outcomes are primary endpoints when measuring success. The team strives for both novelty and excellence in a number of areas including orientation and training; compliance to and innovation of QA/QI processes; development of institutional protocols and adherence to AmSECT standards and guidelines. The team is honored to accept the Pillar Award, and more importantly proud of the best-practice standard that is set for the patient population in New England.

Perfusion Management Group, Ltd. at Lancaster General Health

For over 30 years, Perfusion Management Group, Ltd. has provided perfusion and blood management services to Lancaster General Health. Under the direction of Mark Epler, MD and Tim Zellers, MSN,MBA, the Heart and Vascular Institute performs adult cardiac surgery including minimally invasive surgery, complex aortic surgery, TAVR and an active mechanical circulatory support program.

Adherence to evidence-based perfusion guidelines forms the basis of our patient-centered practice to ensure quality outcomes. Development and integration of key performance indicators (KPI) within our electronic perfusion record monitors and alerts the perfusionists if KPIs are outside practice guidelines. AmSECT Standards form the basis of perfusion safety. Regular practice meetings reinforce discussion, collaboration and education. It is a privilege to receive the Pillar Award and distinction by AmSECT and perfusion community.