2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Cardiovascular Credentialing International

Cardiovascular Credentialing International 1

Table of ContentsFrom the President 3

Credentials 4

Leadership 5

Examination Committee Members 6

2015 Total Examinations Administered and Pass Rates 8

Total Exams Sold by Year 8

Total Registrants by Credential 9

ANSI Accreditation 9

Professional Testing, Inc. 9

Pearson VUE 9

Cardiovascular Educators’ Forum 10

Cardiac and Vascular Sonography Educators’ Luncheon 11

Conferences Where CCI Exhibited in 2015 11

2015 Highlights 12

Cardiovascular Credentialing International 3

From the PresidentBy Ken Horton, ACS, RCS, RCIS, President, Board of Trustees

I am very pleased to share my opening thoughts for the 2015 Annual Report. As I look back on my first year as President, I am very impressed with what our organization has accomplished in 2015. In 2010, the Executive Committee crafted our Mission and Vision Statements which was subsequently approved by our Board of Trustees. For the past 5 years these have served as our guiding principles for everything we do.

Vision Statement To be the recognized credentialing organization for Cardiovascular Technology and emerging medical professionals.

Mission Statement To be an innovative, cost-effective organization, driven by professional ethics and integrity, through the representation of the profession(s) in providing recognized, high-quality, competency-based examinations.

I believe we are holding true to our Vision and Mission Statements. During the past year, we have implemented many projects that have been in development through the preceding years. As you read through the report you will see the results of countless hours of work by our staff and volunteers focused on making Cardiovascular Credentialing International the preferred credentialing organization for cardiovascular technology.

Cardiovascular Credentialing International has always felt the success and growth of cardiovascular technology is found

in collaboration of what we call the Professional Triad. The triad consists of our educators, professional societies and credentialing bodies. We continue to support our educators through initiatives such as our Educators Forum, educators’ luncheons and the Aaron S. White Examination Scholarships. We support our professional societies through sponsorships of their annual meetings and journals. We encourage all our registrants to become active in their appropriate professional society. And we continue to stay on the cutting edge of credentialing through the development of new examinations and testing techniques.

Financially, 2015 has been a successful year for Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Although testing volumes fell a little short of our anticipated goals, the combination of supporting revenues and expense control allowed us to end the year in solid financial position. I want to thank the management staff for their contributions in making 2015 a financially successful year.

I really appreciate you taking the time to look through this report that serves as a summary of our activities for 2015. The report contains many of the details of our activities and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff and volunteers.

Although 2015 has been a successful year, CCI has to look at its role in credentialing and support of the professional triad in the upcoming years. The Executive Committee, Board of Trustees and CCI Staff Leadership will spend 2016 with an eye on the future. We intend to develop tools to assess the field and then redesign a strategic plan that will be our guide for the years to come.

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CredentialsCertificate LevelCCT – Certified Cardiographic TechnicianFor professionals working in the areas of ECG, Holter monitoring, and stress testing

CRAT – Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician For professionals who utilize specialized monitoring equipment to analyze cardiac rhythms

Registry LevelRCCS – Registered Congenital Cardiac SonographerFor professionals working in the area of pediatric and adult congenital cardiac ultrasound

RCES – Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology SpecialistFor professionals working in the area of electrophysiology

RCIS – Registered Cardiovascular Invasive SpecialistFor professionals working in the area of cardiac catheterization (invasive cardiovascular technology)

RCS – Registered Cardiac SonographerFor professionals working in the area of echocardiography

RPhS – Registered Phlebology Sonographer For professionals working in the area of phlebology ultrasound

RVS – Registered Vascular SpecialistFor professionals working in the area of vascular technology (vascular ultrasound)

Advanced LevelACS – Advanced Cardiac SonographerFor registered cardiac sonographers who practice at an advanced level in the echocardiography laboratory

Photos courtesy of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Compudiagnostics, Lancaster General Hospital, Morrison Vein Institute, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, and Shands Teaching Hospital at the University of Florida.

CCT CRAT

RCCS RCES

RCIS RCS

RPhS RVS

ACS

Cardiovascular Credentialing International 5

Leadership Board of Trustees

PresidentKenneth Horton, ACS, RCIS, RCS, FASE

President-Elect / Executive Examination ChairMarsha Roberts, ACS, RCS, FASE

TreasurerGail Size, BS, RPhS, RVS, RVT, FSVU

SecretaryLetitia Esbenshade-Smith, MS Ed., RCES, RCIS

Immediate Past PresidentJames Shafer, BS, RCS, RVS, RVT

Executive Director (Ex-Officio - Non-voting)Jerel Noel, CAE

Certificate Level Examinations ChairTom O’Brien, AS, CCT, CRAT, RMA

Congenital Registry Examination ChairElaine Shea, ACS, RCCS, RCS, RCIS, FASE

Echocardiography Registry Examination Chair

Brad J. Roberts, ACS, RCS, FASE

Electrophysiology Registry Examination ChairDouglas L. Passey, RCES, RCIS, FSICP

Phlebology Registry Examination ChairJeannie White Melendez, RPhS, RVT, FSVU

Invasive Registry Examination ChairTravis Nay, RCIS

Vascular Registry Examination ChairLisa Cannon, RVS, RVT

Advanced Cardiac Sonographer ChairTodd Belcik, BS, ACS, RCS, RDCS, FASE

Public MemberRick Hoffman, CPA/ABV

Board of AdvisorsMembers are nominated to represent their

cardiovascular specialty field from the listed professional societies.

American College of CardiologyJoseph V. Messer, MD, MACC, FACP, FAHA,

FCCP, FSCAI

American College of Phlebology PhysicianNick Morrison, MD, FACS, FACPh, RPhS

American College of Phlebology Non-Physician

Joseph Zygmunt, RPhS, RVT

American Society of Echocardiography Physician

Lissa Suggeng, MD, FASE

American Society of Echocardiography Non-Physician

Richie Palma, BS, ACS, RCS, RDCS, FASE

Heart Rhythm Society PhysicianShoei K. Huang, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS, CCDS

Heart Rhythm Society Non-PhysicianBarbara Thomas, RN, FHRS

Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions

Joseph D. Babb, MD FACC, FAHA, MSCAI

Society for Vascular UltrasoundAnne Jones BSN, RVT, FSVU, FSDMS

Society of Diagnostic Medical SonographyDavid Adams, ACS, RCS, RDCS, FASE

Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals

Tracy Simpson, ARNP, MS, RCIS, FSICP

Honorary Board Member - HistorianDennis Carney, RCIS, RCS, FASE

StaffExecutive Director

Jerel Noel, CAE

Associate Executive Director & Director of Communications

Christine Johnson

Director of FinanceEllen Gioielli

Director of OperationsStephanie Brown

Programs CoordinatorValerie Hunter

Applicant Services ManagerVirginia Satterwhite

Registrant Services ManagerEdward Ingram

Administrative AssistantKrista Russell

Applicant Services SpecialistPamela Anderson

Registrant Services SpecialistSchary Way

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Examination Committee Members Advanced Cardiac Sonographer (ACS) Todd Belcik, BS, ACS, RCS, RDCS, FASE - ChairMichelle Bierig, MPH, ACS, RCS, RDCS, RDMS,

FASEMerri Bremer, Ed.D., RN, ACS, RDCS, FASE Jeffrey C. Hill, BS, ACS, FASEMarti McCulloch, MBA, ACS, RDCS, FASECarol Mitchell, PhD, ACS, RDMS, RDCS, RVT,

RT(R) Matt Umland, ACS, RDCS, FASEJohn Toptine, ACS RCS, RDCS, FASE

Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) Tom O’Brien, CCT, CRAT - Chair Mike Maloney, AAS, CCT, RCIS Andrew Pellett, PhD, RDCS, FASE Sam Soleymani, RDCS Diane Terrell, CCT, CRATKathy Hellums, BS, RCS, RVS

Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) Tom O’Brien, CCT, CRAT - Chair Jill Culp, CCT, CRATKimberly Firch Jess Fitzsimons, CCT, CRATAmy Leiserowitz, RN, CCDS

Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer (RCCS)Elaine Shea, RCCS, RCIS, RCS, FASE - Chair Patrick Coon, RCCS, RDCS, FASEShawn Cupp, RCS, RCCS Nicole Duncan, RCCS, RDCS Lyna El-Khoury Rumbarger, BS, RDCS, RCCS,

FASEJoseph Kreeger, ACS, RCCS, RDCS, FASE Stephanie Nay, BS, RCCS, RDCS, FASE

Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist (RCES) Douglas Passey, RCES, RCIS, FSICP - ChairJacqueline Bruhn, CEPS, RCES Susan Deck, MBA, RN, RCES, RCIS Letitia Esbenshade-Smith, MS Ed., RCES, RCIS Joe Giron, RN, CRT, RCIS, RCES, CEPS, FSICPCraig M. Klebsch, MBA, RCES, RCIS, CEPS, CTP John Minnich, RCES, RCIS Scott Neal, RCES Robert L. Thompson, RCES, RCIS

Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) Travis Nay, BS, RCIS - Chair Erik Hushelpeck, RCES, RCIS, FSICP Lee Ann Johnson, BS, RCIS James Lincoln, RCIS Allan Mirehouse, RCIS Christopher Nelson, MSEd, RN, RCIS, FSICP Douglas L. Passey, RCES, RCIS, FSICPTracy Simpson, ARNP, BSN, RCIS, FSICP

Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) Brad J. Roberts, ACS, RCS, FASE - Chair Karen Chin, RCS, FASE Kenneth Horton, ACS, RCIS, RCS, FASE Elizabeth F. McIlwain, MHS, RCS, FASE Andrew Pellett, PhD, RCS, RDCS, FASE Marsha Roberts, ACS, RCS, FASESangeeta Shah, MD, FASE

Registered Phlebology Sonographer (RPhS) Jeannie White Melendez, RPhS, RVT, FSVU - Chair Stephen Daugherty, MD, RPhS, RVT Tracie Dauplaise, RPhS, RVT Karl Hubach, MD, FACPh, RVT, RPhSNick Morrison, MD, RPhS Diana L. Neuhardt, RPhS RVT FSVU Barbara Pohle-Schulze, RDMS, RDCS, RPhS, RVT Michael Traurig, MD, RPhS, RPVI, RVT Joseph Zygmunt, RPhS, RVT

Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS) Lisa Cannon, RVS, RVT - Chair Matthew Allen, BS, RVSRobert J. Feezor, MD, FACS Troy Russo, RDCS RDMS RVS RVT James Shafer, BS, RCS, RVS, RVT Gail Size, BS, RPhS, RVS, RVT, FSVUSharon Whitcraft, MA, RCS, RVS, RVT

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Total Exams Sold by Year (2003 to 2015)

*2003 only includes data from March through December since CCI moved to computer based testing in March of 2003. **2003 to 2010 data includes the Cardiovascular Science examination, which was no longer offered after Dec. 31, 2010. 2011 and on are only one part exams.

2015 Total Examinations Administered and Pass RatesExam Total Exams Administered Pass RateAdvanced Cardiac Sonographer (ACS) 96 52.08%

Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) 800 55.29%

Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) 376 75.48%

Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist (RCES) 138 76.03%

Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) 1302 47.74%

Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) 746 57.87%

Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer (RCCS) 88 61.46%

Registered Phlebology Sonographer (RPhS) 67 58.90%

Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS) 703 49.13%

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Total Exams Sold by Year (2003 to 2015)

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Cardiovascular Credentialing International 9

Total Registrants by Credential

ANSI Accreditation Founded in 1918, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredits developers of standards for a multitude of personnel certification programs and industries, both nationally and internationally. ANSI is the United States represen-tative of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), which is the global developer of international standards dedicated to eliminating obstacles to international trade. ISO standards are established with worldwide consensus, pro-viding rigorous guidelines for products, services, and sound practice. CCI recognizes that accreditation through these bodies is vital to creating an international credentialing presence. Reciprocity is essential for international relationships and a shared vision that transcends geographic and socioeconomic borders. ISO standards encourage open exchange while providing the necessary regulation to ensure structure and mutual accountability. Credentials administered are accredited by ANSI based on the ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation Standard.

For more information about ANSI, please visit: www.ansi.org.

ACS 48

CCT 4782

CRAT 949

RCCS 239

RCES 617

RCIS 6764

RCS 7040

RPhS 245

RVS 3055

Total Credentials 23,739

Total Active Registrants 20,916*Note: A registrant may hold more than one credential.

Professional Testing, Inc. CCI’s Examination Committees consist of subject matter experts (SMEs) for each respective cardiovascular specialty. These SMEs compose the questions and answers with the guidance of profes-sional examination staff and PhD level psychometricians from Professional Testing, Inc. Professional Testing, Inc. works with CCI staff and SMEs to conduct job/task analyses, examination content/blue print updates, assist with item development, provide ongoing exam maintenance, and provide psychometric consulting.

For more information about Professional Testing, Inc., please visit: www.proftesting.com.

Pearson VUECCI examinations are computer-based and are administered through Pearson VUE. As the world’s foremost provider of electronic testing, Pearson VUE conducts examinations for academic, govern-ment, and professional clients. Pearson VUE’s network operates over 4,400 Pearson VUE Authorized Test Centers in more than 162 coun-tries and also operates more than 230 Pearson Professional Centers.

For more information about Pearson VUE, please visit: www.pearsonvue.com/cci.

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Cardiovascular Educators’ ForumFollowing up on the success of past forums, the board continues to allocate funds for the Educators’ Forum. The 2015 forum was held April 17-18 at the Westin Las Vegas. Selected participants were invited to attend at no cost. Forty-four people were in attendance, including the following: thirty-five educators, Professional Testing, Inc. (PTI) representatives, Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT) representative, Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) representative, CCI board members, and CCI staff members.

The following, are a few examples of presentations and interactive workshops that were offered:

>> Best Practices in Cardiovascular Education

>> Instructional Design vs. Designing Instruction

>> Item Writing: Program Outcomes: Did the Subject Matter Experts Get it Right?

>> The Value of Simulation in Cardiovascular Education

When 2015 attendees were asked what the strengths of the forum were, they responded:

>> “I greatly enjoy meeting others like myself and the open forum is a great idea. It in theory allows us to communicate openly about each other’s concerns. I find the forum refreshing and it helps me remember that I am not alone out here.”

>> “This is great for our peers to get together and discuss issues that we all seem to have. I do not know of any other forum that gets cardiovascular educators together like this.”

The next Educators’ Forum will be held April 8-9, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada and will focus on Best Practices in Education. Planned sessions include topics such as:

>> Learning Styles-Teaching across Generations

>> Managing Clinical Education in an Era of Change

>> Instructional Design for the Classroom Instructor

>> Clinical Preceptor Training: What’s In and What’s Not

To be added to CCI’s educators’ mailing list or to receive information on future forums please email Christine Johnson at cjohnson@cci-online.org.

Cardiovascular Credentialing International 11

Cardiac and Vascular Sonography Educators’ Luncheon Since 2011, CCI has hosted a Cardiac and Vascular Sonography Educators’ Luncheon at the SDMS Annual Conference. This year over 50 educators participated in a CCI update from President Ken Horton and then roundtable discussions led by CCI leaders and volunteers on topics such as:

>> Innovative Items - Assessment On A Higher Level

>> Qualification Prerequisites - Are We Getting It Right?

>> Why CCI? - Credential Choice And Recognition

>> Advanced Practice - The Next Career Frontier

>> School/Program Accreditation - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

To be added to CCI’s educators’ mailing list or to receive info on future forums, please email Christine Johnson at cjohnson@cci-online.org.

Conferences Where CCI Exhibited in 2015

Conference LocationAmerican College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session & Expo (ACC) San Diego, CA

American College of Phlebology Annual Congress (ACP) Orlando, FL

American Society of Echocardiography Annual Scientific Sessions (ASE) Boston, MA

Heart Rhythm Society Annual Scientific Sessions (HRS) Boston, MA

National Cardiovascular Data Registry Annual Meeting (NCDR) San Diego, CA

North Carolina Ultrasound Society Fall Meeting (NCUS) Chapel Hill, NC

Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) San Diego, CA

Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography Annual Conference (SDMS) Dallas, TX

South Atlantic Society of Electrophysiology Allied Professionals Annual Workshop (SASEAP) Myrtle Beach, SC

Society for Vascular Ultrasound Annual Conference (SVU) Las Vegas, NV

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2015 Highlights CCI Aaron S. White Examination Scholarship The CCI Board established the CCI Aaron S. White Examination Scholarship in honor of its long-time Executive Director. The scholarship rewards deserving applicants who qualify to sit for a CCI examination by covering their testing fees for examinations administered by CCI. A total of four scholarships were awarded in 2015.

Launch of Innovative ItemsCCI recently began the incorporation of new items types to its examinations. We have termed the new item types as “innovative items.” The concept of these types of questions is not new. However, it is new to our exams and extends our exams beyond the multiple choice format that we all are so used to seeing on examinations. Here’s a summary of the new item types:

Multiple Response Questions

A multiple response question is basically a multiple, multiple choice question. The candidate is asked a question and is required to pick multiple correct responses from a list of choices.

Hotspot Questions

A hotspot question includes an image,and the candidate would be asked to identify a particular area within the image.

Drag and Place Questions

A drag and place question also includes an image and the candidate is asked to “grab” a label from a list and “place” it in the correct place on an image.

Launch of the Advanced Cardiac Sonographer (ACS) certificationThe ACS was developed in response to a need to create a career track for sonographers who practice at an advanced level in the echocardiography laboratory. The ACS is committed to improving lab quality and efficiency through preparing preliminary echo assessments; performing advanced echocardiograms; mentoring fellows, students, residents, and staff; developing and implementing educational plans; facilitating continuous quality improvement; and coordinating cardiac ultrasound research.

A total of ninety-four cardiac sonographers participated in the pilot process for the ACS examination. The passing standard was established and 49 of these individuals earned the new ACS designation. The ACS examination was formally launched on November 2, 2015. CCI is pleased to offer this credential for qualified candidates seeking to demonstrate advanced-level competence in cardiac sonography.

Photo Courtesy of the SDMS

Cardiovascular Credentialing International

1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102 Raleigh, NC 27607

800-326-0268 www.cci-online.org