Section 43-34-171. Definitions

   As used in this article, the term:

   (1) "Advisory committee" means the committee appointed pursuant to Code Section 43-34-180.

   (2) "Board" means the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

   (3) "Extracorporeal circulation" means the diversion of a patient's blood through a heart-lung machine or a similar device that assumes the function of the patient's heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, or other organ.

   (4) "License" means a license to practice as a licensed clinical perfusionist or provisional licensed clinical perfusionist.

   (5) "Licensed clinical perfusionist" means a person licensed as such pursuant to this article.

   (6) "Perfusion" means the functions necessary for the support, treatment, measurement, or supplementation of the cardiovascular, circulatory, or respiratory system or other organ, or a combination of such activities, and to ensure the safe management of physiologic functions by monitoring and analyzing the parameters of the systems under the order and supervision of a physician, including, but not limited to:

      (A) Extracorporeal support, including:

         (i) Cardiopulmonary bypass for adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients;

         (ii) Cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital and acquired cardiovascular disorders;

         (iii) Extracorporeal circulatory support for renal, neurological, hepatic, and vascular surgery;

         (iv) Extracorporeal resuscitation; and

         (v) Extracorporeal circulation for long-term support of failing respiratory or cardiac function, or both;

      (B) Associated extracorporeal support functions, including:

         (i) Myocardial protection;

         (ii) Hemofiltration and hemodialysis;

         (iii) Anticoagulation and hemostasis monitoring, analysis, and intervention;

         (iv) Thermal regulation, including hypothermia and hyperthermia;

         (v) Blood gas and blood chemistry monitoring, analysis, and intervention;

         (vi) Physiological monitoring, analysis, and intervention; and

         (vii) Administration of blood components, pharmaceuticals, chemotherapeutics, and anesthetic agents as directed by a licensed physician;

      (C) Heart failure therapy and support, including:

         (i) Ventricular assist device management;

         (ii) Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation;

         (iii) Temporary pacemaker management;

         (iv) External counterpulsation;

         (v) Transportation of patient on extracorporeal support; and

         (vi) Periodic flow augmentation therapy;

      (D) Blood management, including:

         (i) Autotransfusion;

         (ii) Platelet concentrate; and

         (iii) Nondifferentiated progenitor cell harvest; and

      (E) Other clinical functions, including:

         (i) Isolated limb and organ perfusion;

         (ii) Isolated limb and organ delivery of chemotherapeutics, progenitor cells, gene therapy vectors, and related matters;

         (iii) Organ preservation;

         (iv) Thermogenic lavage;

         (v) Electrophysiological analysis; and

         (vi) Intravascular membrane oxygenation.

   Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent any licensed health care professional from performing any functions for which such health care professional is legally authorized to perform.

   (7) "Perfusion protocols" means perfusion related policies and protocols developed or approved by a licensed health care facility or a physician through collaboration with administrators, licensed clinical perfusionists, and other health care professionals.

   (8) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine under Article 2 of this chapter.

   (9) "Provisional licensed clinical perfusionist" means a person provisionally licensed pursuant to this article.

Code 1981, § 43-34-171, enacted by Ga. L. 2002, p. 652, § 1; Ga. L. 2009, p. 859, § 1/HB 509; Ga. L. 2011, p. 779, § 1E/SB 100; Ga. L. 2012, p. 775, § 43/HB 942.