Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine

Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine
Name	Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine
Abbreviation	ISCCM
Formation	1993
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Kolkata
Region served	India
Leader title	President

Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine is a professional association for physicians and allied health professionals involved in intensive care and critical care across India. Founded in 1993, the society links clinicians from tertiary hospitals, medical colleges, and specialty institutes, engaging with national and international bodies to develop standards of patient care. The society coordinates with institutions and organizations to promote clinical practice, research, and education in intensive care medicine.

History

The society was established in 1993 by clinicians active in major centers such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Christian Medical College, Vellore, King Edward Memorial Hospital, and AIIMS Bhopal, influenced by contemporaneous developments at Royal College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, Society of Critical Care Medicine (US), European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and World Health Organization. Early meetings featured speakers from National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and University College London Hospitals. The society's growth paralleled expansions in landmark Indian institutions such as Tata Memorial Hospital, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Kasturba Medical College, and Armed Forces Medical College (Pune).

Objectives and Activities

The society's objectives include establishing clinical standards, fostering research, and promoting training across centers including Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Banaras Hindu University, KMC Manipal, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, and Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences. Activities span guideline development involving stakeholders like Indian Council of Medical Research, Medical Council of India, NITI Aayog, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India), and collaborations with international partners such as European Resuscitation Council, International Sepsis Forum, World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine, and Asian Pacific Sepsis Alliance. The society advocates for critical care capacity building in regions served by Government Medical College, Nagpur, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, and GMCH Chandigarh.

Organizational Structure

The society is governed by an executive committee and various subcommittees connecting academic centers such as Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, PGIMER Chandigarh, KEM Hospital Mumbai, St. John's Medical College, and Bangalore Medical College. The structure incorporates advisory roles with representatives from Indian Medical Association, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Indian Red Cross Society, National Board of Examinations, and leading hospitals like Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, Max Healthcare, and Manipal Hospitals. Regional coordinators link chapters in metropolitan hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune.

Membership and Chapters

Membership categories include fellows, members, trainees, and allied health professionals from centers such as Safdarjung Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Medanta, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, and Govt. Medical College Kozhikode. Chapters operate in states and cities with strong clinical programs at institutions like PGIMER, AIIMS Delhi, KEM Mumbai, and CMC Vellore, while international liaison officers maintain contacts with organizations such as Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Canadian Critical Care Society, Society of Critical Care Medicine (US), and Asian Critical Care Clinical Trials Group. The society partners with nursing and allied groups from Indian Nursing Council, Physiotherapy Association of India, and Clinical Pharmacology Society of India.

Education, Training, and Certification

The society runs training courses, postgraduate teaching, and simulation workshops in collaboration with teaching hospitals such as AIIMS Rishikesh, JIPMER, KIDwai Institute of Oncology, and Seth GS Medical College. Educational programs include certification in basic and advanced life support aligned with curricula from Resuscitation Council UK, American Heart Association, European Resuscitation Council, and exam frameworks of National Board of Examinations and Medical Council of India. Fellowship and diploma initiatives link to centers like PGIMER Chandigarh, CMC Vellore, Kasturba Medical College, and Maulana Azad Medical College to standardize competencies in areas emphasized by International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, and World Health Organization.

Conferences and Publications

The society organizes annual and regional conferences drawing delegates from British Thoracic Society, American Thoracic Society, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, International Sepsis Forum, and national institutions including AIIMS, PGIMER, and CMC Vellore. Conferences feature plenaries with researchers from Harvard Medical School, Imperial College London, Yale School of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, and UCSF. Publications include society journals, position statements, and clinical practice guidelines, with editorial collaborations involving Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine, editorial boards tied to Medknow Publications and indexing bodies such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Awards and Recognitions

The society confers awards recognizing clinical excellence, research, and teaching with categories named after pioneers active at institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Christian Medical College, Vellore, KEM Hospital, and PGIMER Chandigarh. Awardees have included clinicians affiliated with Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, and academic centers such as AIIMS and PGIMER, and recipients often participate in international fellowships with bodies like Royal College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

Category:Medical associations based in India Category:Intensive care organizations