The UHMS Associates

A Historical Perspective

by

Stacy Kruckeberg, ACHRN

Associates Historian

In 1967, six USN Diving and Submarine medical officers with the goal of promoting diving and undersea medicine founded the Undersea Medical Society. Over time,

this society realized the validity of clinical hyperbaric medicine. In recognition of the dual interest by members in both diving and clinical applications, the society was renamed “The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society” (UHMS) in September 1986.

In1986 the UHMS first recognized an essential body of personnel in this field, the Associates. For the first time ever diver medics, research physiologists, EMTs, paramedics, hyperbaric technicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and students became eligible for Associate member status.

The UHMS Executive Committee still maintained absolute control by appointing an ‘Associate Representative’ and limiting the term to one year. The process of recognition for the Associates was in place but it would still take a few more years to impress upon the Society the value of the Associates role. Paul Baker was the first appointed representative in 1987 followed by Jim Persels in 1988.

The Associate body was slowly growing and their voice was finally being heard. In 1989 the UHMS Executive Committee, under the direction of Dr. Richard Heimbach, approved the Associates to conduct their own election for a chair position to sit on the Executive Committee with full voting privileges and hold the position for two years. The first elected Chair was Dick Clarke in 1989. Associate membership increased to 565.

Other past Associate Chairs have included Paul Baker 1991, Delmer Shelton 1993, Sue Laney 1995, Jim McCarthy1997, Gregory Mann 1999, and Steve Woods 2001. Our current Chair is Mike Crouch; he assumed the role in June 2003.

Membership numbers over the years have remained about the same ranging from 533 to presently 644. Considering the increased awareness and growth in this industry our membership into the Associates is not representative. There remains much work to be done in this area to increase the awareness of Associate membership and the opportunities that exist for such membership.

The Associate’s mission statement was established and today remains unchanged while paralleling that of the UHMS purpose statement. It is to provide a forum for communication among individuals involved in basic and applied studies concerned with life sciences and human factor aspects of the undersea environment and hyperbaric medicine. To promote cooperation between the life sciences and other disciplines concerned with undersea activity and hyperbaric medicine. To develop and promote educational activities and other programs which improve scientific knowledge of matters related to undersea and hyperbaric environments and the accepted applications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the membership, as well as physicians and allied health professionals, divers, diver technicians, hyperbaric technologists and the public at large.

While simultaneously establishing themselves as the Associate body within the UHMS, the early leadership was also reassessing the focus of the National Association of Diver Medical Technicians (NADMT). In 1989, under the presidency of Dick Clarke, a new name was established and it became the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology (NBDHMT), acknowledging the emergence of clinical hyperbaric medical technicians in to the field of diving medicine.

A body of five men made up the NBDHMT Executive Committee; Dick Clarke, Paul Baker, Jim Persels, Keith Van Meter, and Brian Foley. The new committee’s focus was to develop a testing certification process whereby members would have access to gain recognition for their specialized skills. Candidates would have to show documentation of 40 hours of formal hyperbaric medicine training, maintain continued education, show proof of working in HBO for a minimum amount of time and have a letter of recommendation from their employer.  These requirements were established to ensure a higher level of safety and competency of clinicians in hyperbaric medicine settings.

By June 1991, the first ever Certified Hyperbaric Technologist (CHT) examination was conducted at the UHMS annual meeting in San Diego, California with 45 candidates challenging the exam. To date there have been well over 1850 CHTs complete the process for certification. In 1995, Paul Baker became the next NBDHMT president and he still currently holds that position.

In 1997, the Associates established the Paul C. Baker Award.  This award is presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting to an Associate member for outstanding contributions to the advancement of safety in hyperbaric medicine worldwide. The award was based on the many enduring contributions from Paul Baker. At the August 2004 Annual Meeting in Dallas, the board approved an increase to $1000 for this life achievement award.

Past recipients are Paul Baker 1997, Dick Clarke 1998, Jim McCarthy 1999, Brian Foley 2000, Sue Desantis and Ken Rideout 2001, Jay Duchnick 2002, Robert Sheffield 2003, Christy Pirone June 2004 in Sydney and Kevin Corson August 2004 in Dallas.

The Associates Award for Excellence in Presentation was created in 1999 to recognize outstanding Associates who participate in the Annual Scientific Meeting.  Each Associate member who presents a paper is evaluated by a team of judges who rate each presentation on a number of areas, including content, applicability to the profession, and quality of presentation. At the Annual Meeting in August 2004 in Dallas, the board approved creating two Excellence Awards for each Annual Meeting, as well as increasing the monetary value to $750 and $500.

Past recipients are Dawn Ray 1999, Sara Hasan 2000, Dick Sample 2001, Valerie Larson-Lohr 2002, Karen Swaby 2003, Rich Egan June 2004 in Sydney, Dick Sample August 2004 in Dallas and Doug Oberly August 2004 in Dallas.

In 1999, Tom Workman, on behalf on the operations committee, was asked to draft a proposal to present to the UHMS Executive Committee for hyperbaric facility accreditation. Tom worked diligently to put to together a safety program for hyperbaric centers nationwide and made numerous presentations on the concept to audiences worldwide. This program would consist of safety compliance standards, which would eventually serve as the accepted minimum requirements to house hyperbaric centers in the US. This initiative would help eliminate those centers and/or home based operations that were producing or at risk for catastrophic fatalities due to a lack of approved safety devices and measures. Additionally, the accreditation was to capture the attention of regulatory affairs to stop reimbursement and shut down centers that do not meet safety standards. Up to that time, safety hazards associated with hyperbaric medicine were not well understood or enforced by government agencies.

After many years, his hard work paid off. Tom and his chosen team of surveyors were able to raise the bar on safety standards. The first Accreditation survey was conducted September 2002 in Columbia, SC. Since that time 35 HBO centers have been surveyed and many more centers are waiting their turn for accreditation. The UHMS accreditation is close to becoming the industry standard for hyperbaric centers. Tom's efforts have made a tremendous impact in the lives of the Associates by broadening the awareness of hyperbaric medicine safety.

In response to the need for hyperbaric facility design guidelines, during the 2003 Annual Meeting, the Associates’ Executive Board authorized the organization of a committee to develop a set of facility design recommendations for clinical hyperbaric facilities. The committee chair is Steve Wood, and committee membership will represent chamber operators, manufacturers, and clinicians. A draft of the design has been presented thus far. The Associates look forward to the final production of the project.

The UHMS Associates have evolved over the nearly 2 decades since our birth to accommodate to the needs of its members and the settings they exist in. Thanks to the early pioneers who generated the idea of acceptance of the Associate membership, we now have a voice in the UHMS. We have succeeded in fulfilling the mission by providing ongoing collaboration and education through cooperation between the life sciences.  As Associates, we have much to be grateful for, however, we still have a great deal more yet to accomplish!

Revised 8/2004

Copyright (c) 2006 Associates of the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society.  Rights Reserved.