PLAN AHEAD ISSUE: Trident Health Resources, Inc. Newsletter

There are approximately 1,090 open-heart surgery programs in the United States. Source: American Heart Association (AHA), 2009
Demographic trends favor continued growth of healthcare needs in cardiac care, orthopedic care and traditional in-patient and outpatient surgery. America's elderly population is expected to double-from 35 million to nearly 75 million-over the next 30 years. As a result, the number of Americans who will need healthcare will skyrocket.Source: Wizer Report, 2007.
52% of the hospital programs are contracted and 48% are in-house, offering significant growth opportunities. Source: American Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology (AmSECT)
Blood product therapy needs are growing (Platelet Gel,Plasmapheresis) Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Nationwide shortage of nurses and specialized medical personnel predicted to impact the cardiovascular market. Source: AHA
Healthcare is the largest industry in the United States and the fastest growing. It is also stable, regardless of economic conditions. Source: U.S. Dept. Labor
The cardiovascular marketplace represents a $1.1 billion industry with 1.1 million procedures annually, of which approximately 694,000 were open heart related. Source: American Hospital Association, 2007.
There are an estimated 3300 certified perfusionists in the U.S., and the annual net increase due to education programs is just over 1% Source: Medical University of South Carolina, 2004

To summarize, the need for open heart services is more than consistent, it is growing based upon an aging population of the Baby Boomer generation who fall in the statistical category of "at-risk" for heart attacks. Hospitals are continuing to review their in-house programs and exploring outsourcing of their perfusion staff and services. The growth of new graduating Perfusionists in the employment market is small. Perfusionists are also finding it difficult to be mobile or change jobs due to a glut of real estate/housing that may prevent them from selling their homes to accept work across the country. These facts present us with many opportunities, even against a wave of challenges (changing national healthcare platform and low growth of perfusionist staff population). It's necessary to plan ahead if a services company or hospital is growing their program. Trident can help:

If you're a perfusionist looking for employment or information about the perfusion environment, visit our sister website, www.perfusioncommunity.com for the latest updates.
Perfusionists and hospital administrators should review the 2011 Calendar of Perfusion Meetings and plan to attend a few in the coming year to make contacts and stay abreast in the field. Trident Health will be participating in several conferences and a list of those will be shared in an upcoming newsletter.
If a hospital is concerned about staff turnover, locum tenens needs, or improving efficiencies in their existing open heart program (or are considering changing perfusion management companies if outsourced), contact Trident Health Resources for a no-obligation assessment.

Finally, over the summer Trident conducted a Perfusionist Locum Tenens Staffing Survey. The results have been compiled and are available by request. Email [email protected] to request a summary of the findings.

With over two decades of exceptional experience, client relationships with major hospitals, vendor manufacturers, service providers, non-profit organizations and leading educational centers, Trident Health Resources, Inc. plays an essential role in the continuing success of many open heart programs across the country. Trends in Trident's organic growth remain upwardly consistent year over year with an optimistic future. This is true particularly in light of patient population expansion and significant changes in health care (e.g. increases in cardiovascular healthcare by the aging Baby Boomer generation). Such changes provide opportunities for Trident to enlarge health services program offerings, including fulfilling specialized needs in education, labor (specifically, specialized medical staffing), and medical equipment, which are necessary to continue the high caliber of healthcare that our clients have come to expect from Trident Health Resources, Inc. Call us today!