Dear Members and Friends of PiCSA,
I hope this message finds you well, and that 2024 has been a year of health and success. As we leave the final quarter of this year, I am excited to share some important updates and milestones from Professionals in Cardiac Sciences Australia (PiCSA).
A Clear Vision for the Future
Our newly updated Mission, Vision, and Values statements, along with a fresh strategic plan for 2025-2026, will guide PiCSA’s activities in the years ahead. These documents, which reflect our commitment to advancing the Cardiac Physiology profession, can now be accessed on our website alongside our revised constitution (https://picsa.org.au/about)
2024 AGM Highlights
This year’s Annual General Meeting marked several significant achievements:
- Board Expansion: The election of two new board members brings fresh perspectives to our leadership. We are grateful to Alicia Donovan from Western Australia and Jordan Jago from Victoria for stepping up to offer their unique skills to PiCSA.
- Constitutional Updates: Members approved a special resolution to revise our constitution, which includes:
- Improved descriptions for membership categories for greater clarity, including the removal of the “Industry Membership” category (industry-employed members of PiCSA are incorporated into the Professional, Early Career, and Affiliate membership categories under the new rules).
- Establishing an appropriate undergraduate degree as the minimum requirement for Professional and Early Career (voting) membership categories, supporting PiCSA’s future inclusion in Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) for greater reach and recognition as a professional organisation.
- Encouragement of professional registration now embedded within the constitution.
- Expanded international inclusion, allowing non-Australian residents to join as affiliate members.
- A reciprocal membership agreement with New Zealand’s Society of Cardiopulmonary Technology (SCT), granting free Affiliate Membership to SCT members. This means that members of PiCSA can sign up to the SCT and vice versa at no cost.
We were also privileged to hear from Erin Davison, who provided a comprehensive update on the Australian Council for Clinical Physiologists (ACCP)’s focus and achievements throughout the year. The ACCP (https://theaccp.org.au/) is an accreditation body that works to recognise appropriate professional standards for clinical physiologists working in Australia in the areas of Cardiology, Neurophysiology, Sleep Medicine, and Respiratory science. Along with the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR https://www.asar.com.au/), it serves as a registry for the Cardiac Physiology profession.
Advancing Standards and Advocacy
Australian Guidelines for Entry and Practice in Cardiac Physiology
The Cardiac Physiology profession plays a vital role in diagnosing and treating heart conditions. However, there has been a lack of standardised guidance regarding qualifications, certifications, registration, accreditation, and remuneration. Our updated position statement, released in August 2024 “Australian Guidelines for Entry and Practice in the Field of Cardiac Physiology,” (freely available at https://picsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Career-Pathway-Position-Statement-2024-2.1-August-2024.pdf) addresses these gaps by outlining governance structures, career pathways, and actionable recommendations for stakeholders.
This pivotal document is designed to support government agencies, employers, unions, and Cardiac Physiologists at every career stage. Additionally, our Summer newsletter’s commentary on the financial costs associated with becoming a Cardiac Physiologist serves as a valuable companion piece. Members can access this piece on our education portal, while non-members may request a copy of this or other newsletter items by emailing secretary@picsa.org.au.
2025 will see the completion of a new competency standards framework for Cardiac Device Physiologists, and hopefully the local delivery of a course for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device (CIED) certification (see https://www.sct.org.nz/cied-certification).
Advocacy Efforts
PiCSA remains steadfast in advocating for Cardiac Physiologists in both the public and private sectors. Recent initiatives include:
- Prosthesis Reform:
- We provided detailed feedback to the Australian Government regarding the funding and service model for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs)
- A 3-page summary of key discussion points is included in our final newsletter for 2024 (see https://picsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Submitted-to-Prescribed-List-Reforms-Consultation-Paper-9-CIEDs-and-the-cost-of-technical-support-services.pdf for our complete 20-page submission).
- Pay Parity and Workforce Issues:
- Supporting industrial action in NSW for Echo Physiologists/Cardiac Sonographers and the broader sonographer workforce, advocating for pay parity and improved award agreements.
- Addressing time allocation for standard echocardiograms
- Offering support for Cardiac Cath Lab workforce issues in WA.
- Professional Identity and Recognition:
- Collaborating with the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Sonographer Association and other stakeholders to reclassify our profession and retire the outdated title “Cardiac Technician.”
Strengthening Professional Identity
A key ongoing goal for PiCSA is to improve, unify, and represent the professional identity of Cardiac Physiologists across all 5 modalities of practice (ECG/non-invasive, Cath Lab, Echo, Cardiac Devices and Electrophysiology).
By making who we are and what we do more visible, we aim to foster greater recognition and understanding of our profession within the healthcare sector and the broader community. This will help to establish our legitimacy as healthcare professionals and demonstrate the unique and essential contributions we make to patient care and health outcomes.
Representation and Education
PiCSA delivered and supported several quality education sessions and many newsletter pieces throughout 2024.
Looking ahead, the PiCSA board is actively planning our 2025 education program and preparing to further strengthen our relationships with other professional organisations. If you’re interested in presenting or contributing content, please contact secretary@picsa.org.au. Together, we can inspire and inform the next generation of Cardiac Physiologists.
I am honoured to be joining the CSANZ Heart Rhythm Council Executive for 2025 and will continue supporting the CSANZ Allied Health and Technology Council. Along with other volunteers I will work to improve conference content and will also help develop scope of practice and other key documents. These activities, along with the broader efforts of PiCSA leaders volunteering within other health organisations, underscore our commitment to aligning and synergising PiCSA’s activities with broader governance efforts to benefit our patients and our profession.
A Final Year of Leadership
As I enter my final year as PiCSA Chair, I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve together. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to advancing our profession. Let’s continue driving positive change and delivering excellence in patient care.
Warm regards,
Miriam
Chair,
Professionals in Cardiac Sciences Australia (PiCSA)
