Joe Basha’s PerfWeb #106 Day 1 — The Perfusionist of the Future and Scientific Standards in Evidence — Perfusion

Perfusion as a specialty has always evolved in response to advances in cardiac surgery, extracorporeal support, and critical care. This session will explore how future perfusionists may need to redefine their role in healthcare teams. The discussion will focus on technology integration, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics. Participants will consider how these tools may assist perfusionists in real-time decision-making, patient monitoring, and workflow efficiency. Additionally, the session will examine the professional challenges of the next decade: maintaining relevance within a multidisciplinary team, advancing educational pathways, and navigating ethical questions surrounding emerging technologies such as normothermic regional perfusion (NRP), mechanical circulatory support, and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). Future perfusionists must be both technical experts and critical thinkers. They will need to master new tools while maintaining strong clinical judgment in life-saving scenarios. The speaker will also highlight career growth opportunities, including leadership roles in perfusion education, research, and hospital administration.