Summary.
The bill places the work of cardiovascular perfusion and circulatory support professionals within multidisciplinary teams and the broader healthcare process. It covers operating rooms and other areas of public and private hospitals where open-heart surgery and circulatory support procedures are performed. It describes cardiopulmonary support through extracorporeal circulation and other devices, and defines terms relating to these techniques, equipment, perfusion, transplants, and blood recovery (Arts. 2–4).
The Health Technical Council (Consejo Técnico de Salud) of the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud) would grant professional licenses and authorization to practice to applicants who meet the requirements concerning nationality, an application filed through a lawyer, a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, a master’s degree in Cardiovascular Perfusion and Circulatory Support, academic documentation, and proof of supervised participation in at least 100 cases. The University of Panama (Universidad de Panamá) participates in the certification of foreign degrees and studies; the master’s degree may also be obtained from the institutions specified in the bill, subject to Ministry of Health approval through the Health Technical Council. Transitional provisions recognize a master’s degree for professionals already working in the field and provide for their reclassification; future professionals must hold that degree (Arts. 5, 6 and 8).
The functions include preoperative preparation; reviewing equipment, supplies, and patient records; coordinating with the surgical team; managing cardiopulmonary bypass; recording data; recovering blood; applying biosafety measures; transferring patients to intensive care; and subsequent follow-up. The bill also assigns inventory management, research, and statistical updating duties. Healthcare institutions must facilitate training and leave; the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund (Caja de Seguro Social) must provide resources and opportunities for certification and recertification. It provides for a review of the job classification and reclassification manual every 5 years, promotion through professional categories, and a 2% salary supplement every 2 years. The University of Panama, through its Faculty of Medicine (Facultad de Medicina), would be the only university accredited to offer the master’s degree in Panama (Arts. 9, 11 and 12).
The bill establishes duties concerning technical advice, equipment care, professional development, confidentiality, equal treatment, and patient protection. It requires institutions to provide spaces that meet safety and biosafety standards and to assign at least 2 perfusionists to each procedure. It creates management and supervisory positions with professional licensing and management requirements. The professional association and the Medical Commission (Comisión Médica) of the Health Technical Council would review certification applications; foreign degrees would require recognition and authentication. Practice would be reserved for licensed personnel or appointed personnel working under their supervision while completing the licensing registration process, and subspecialties would be recognized following certification (Arts. 13–17 and 19).
The professional association is recognized as a professional body, and penalties are governed by the Health Code (Código Sanitario) and institutions’ internal regulations. The bill provides for 30 days of annual leave, rules on incapacity leave and accrued time, and a May 6 commemoration. The Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would issue implementing regulations through the Ministry of Health; Resolution No. 1 of January 23, 1994, and Resolution No. 3 of October 26, 2006, would be repealed, and the law would enter into force upon promulgation (Arts. 20–26).
Based on its content, the bill concerns the Ministry of Health, the Health Technical Council, the University of Panama, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Social Security Fund. It could be of interest to or affect cardiovascular perfusion professionals, public and private hospitals, cardiovascular surgery services, patients, and suppliers of circulatory support equipment and supplies.
What it proposes.
- The practice of cardiovascular perfusion and circulatory support.
- Professional licensing, education, and certification.
- Clinical functions and working conditions in healthcare institutions.
- Supervision, safety, and the penalty system.
Who it would affect.
- Cardiovascular perfusion and circulatory support professionals.
- People applying for professional licenses or certification in the profession.
- Hospitals and healthcare institutions where these procedures are performed.
- Authorities responsible for authorizing, certifying, and supervising professional practice.
Key points.
- The Health Technical Council would grant professional licenses and authorization to practice to applicants who provide proof of the required education, documentation, and supervised experience.Art. 5
- Transitional provisions would recognize a master’s degree for professionals already working in the field and provide for their reclassification; future professionals would have to hold that degree.Arts. 6-8
- Clinical functions include preparing for procedures, managing cardiopulmonary bypass, recovering blood, applying biosafety measures, and providing subsequent follow-up.Art. 9
- Institutions would facilitate professional development, while the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund would provide resources and opportunities for certification and recertification.Art. 12
- Professionals would have duties of confidentiality, professional development, and patient protection; institutions would have to provide safe spaces and assign at least 2 perfusionists to each procedure.Arts. 13-14
- Management and supervisory positions would be created, certification applications would be reviewed, and foreign degrees would have to be recognized and authenticated.Arts. 15-17
- Practice would be carried out by licensed personnel or by appointed personnel working under their supervision while completing the licensing registration process.Art. 19
- Violations would be penalized under the Health Code and internal regulations; the bill provides for leave, implementing regulations issued by the Executive Branch, and the repeal of 2 resolutions.Arts. 21-26