Message from the CEO

Annual Report to Members, Donors and Supporters

David J. Martin, CAE
CEO/Executive Vice-President
Society of Critical Care Medicine.

I am pleased to report yet another year of positive development for the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). Membership grew across all categories, reaching an all-time high of nearly 16,000. The breakdown of members by category remained stable: 70% physicians, 15% nurses, and 9% pharmacists. While we continued to experience membership growth worldwide, U.S. membership outpaced other regions, increasing to 87% of our total membership; we see this as a positive sign helped by an increasing number of intensive care unit (ICU) practitioners within the United States as well as improvements in local market penetration. As membership grew, so too did the number of members volunteering their valuable time to serve the Society as part of the Creative Community. Without these 1,600 members, none of the programmatic advances discussed here would have been possible.

Web-Based Learning
If I had to use one word to define the year, it would be online. While the Society continued to host a variety of successful in-person learning events, all of the Society’s educational conferences and books were offered in an electronic format for the first time. Live event participants received complimentary access to these resources, while those unable to travel purchased online versions. Additionally, the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) course, the Self-Assessment in Multiprofessional Critical Care and the Multidisciplinary Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Program were made available online; all of SCCM’s publications can be read on the Amazon Kindle. The Society has offered online learning activities previously, but this was the first year that registration fees were levied for participation. Purchases exceeded expectations and continue to grow at double-digit rates as online educational content becomes increasingly part of the learning process in critical care worldwide. As more members access SCCM materials via the Apple iPad®, staff launched a new tool to produce content compatible with the device (i.e., with no Adobe® Flash®). Look for several unique programs available online only, as well as improvements to learning/tracking tools in 2012.

Educational Resources
The Society’s non-periodical publishing/ product enterprise (which includes online learning) continued to have strong growth, with gross revenue increasing 20% over the prior year. As has been the case in recent years, board review materials remained our most popular product category. In 2012, SCCM will publish the textbooks Comprehensive Critical Care: Adult and Comprehensive Critical Care: Pediatric.

Critical Care Medicine (CCM) and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM) submissions continue to grow with submissions to both journals exceeding the previous year. Acceptance rates stayed consistent, ensuring publication of high-quality manuscripts. CCM’s impact factor remained strong at 6.254, while the PCCM impact factor increased to 2.672. Look for new iPad versions of SCCM peer-reviewed journals in 2012, along with new mobile capabilities across SCCM’s websites.

Throughout the year, the free iCritical Care Podcasts enjoyed continued popularity with typical podcasts earning more than 5,000 listeners and some – such as SCCM Pod-145 Drug Shortages in the ICU – exceeding 12,000. The podcast archive is very popular among busy members, and it is typical for last year’s releases to garner 10,000 to 25,000 downloads. Like podcasts, the Society’s webcast series had positive feedback, with strong participation in the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Early Rehabilitation presentations. In addition to clinical topics – the mainstay of the webcast series – 2011 saw the launch of a series workforce-related topics designed to help critical care professionals manage shortages of skilled labor in the ICU. These complement a new book on the subject due in February 2012, Integrating Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants into the ICU.

A redesigned Critical Connections was unveiled with the February 2011 issue. This bimonthly publication serves as a resource for members wanting to learn more about critical care issues as well as the latest news from the Society. For the second year, revenues from Critical Connections were sufficient to cover all direct expenses and approximately half of indirect expenses associated with these activities. Additional communication venues, including the eNewsletter and SmartBrief – the newly launched advocacy newsletter – continue to keep the critical care community engaged and informed.

Programs
The Fundamental family of courses – FCCS, Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support, and Fundamental Disaster Management – expanded its reach in 2011, with 481 courses delivered and nearly 9,000 certificates distributed to individuals who completed these programs successfully. Revenues from the program climbed 22%. The FCCS program launched an online version this year, and a new online portal for course coordinators will be launched in 2012, making administration of the programs easier for coordinators and providing improved tools for course instructors.

The annual Critical Care Congress remained the Society’s single largest activity, with 6,162 individuals attending the San Diego meeting. The Society’s 40th anniversary was marked by several special events including those that honored founding members. As part of this celebration, a 40th anniversary book was published and distributed to Congress registrants. If you didn’t attend and would like to purchase a copy, the book is available in the SCCM online store. Sadly, not long after Congress, the Society’s first president, Max Harry Weil, MD, FCCM, passed away. We were pleased he was able to join us in San Diego to celebrate this milestone and to speak with many of you.

Finances
While the Society continued to grow in almost every way, funding from industry continued to fluctuate, transitioning from educational program sponsorship to display advertising. This trend has carried over from previous years as policies are implemented to restrict interactions with industry on educational activities. Even so, we are thankful for the support that industry provides SCCM by way of periodical advertising, exhibits and sponsorships. This support assists us in providing programs to the membership at reduced costs and is very much appreciated.

Total revenue from operations, which excludes income from investments, components and other non-operating sources, exceeded budget by approximately $600,000 and ended the year at $14.6 million, up slightly from the prior year. Operating revenue from non- U.S. sources increased by 17% over fiscal year 2010. At year’s end, this represented 13% of all operating revenue. Members and customers outside of the United States purchased an increasing number of publications, online learning programs, memberships and other services from SCCM. Total corporate revenue (from all sources) topped $15 million, generating net revenue of $1.9 million and as such contributing to the Society’s reserve goals. The Society’s balance sheet remained strong with no debt and net assets of $13.9 million, of which $5.8 million were net fixed assets (building, equipment and software.)

On behalf of the entire SCCM leadership, thanks to all of you who contribute to the Society’s success and goal of improving care of the critically ill and injured worldwide. We hope to see you at the 41st Critical Care Congress in Houston, Texas, USA!