UHMS Welcomes the Brazilian Society for Hyperbaric Medicine as an Affiliate
North Palm Beach, Florida, November 22, 2016 (Newswire.com) - The Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Hiperbárica recently became an Affiliate of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, joining a number of like-minded organizations in support of undersea and hyperbaric medicine. The SBMH application was granted unanimous approval at the November 12, 2016, meeting of the UHMS Board of Directors.
“We joined with UHMS during the preparation period for our biannual 7th Quality, Safety and Ethics Forum, which was held in São Paulo, this past October,” noted Dr. Iriano da Silva Alves of Rio de Janeiro. Former President Dr. Alves is the spokesman for the SBMH, the Brazilian Society for Hyperbaric Medicine. Current president is Dr. Fabrício Rech of Sao Paulo.
The Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Hiperbárica recently became an Affiliate of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, joining a number of like-minded organizations in support of undersea and hyperbaric medicine. The SBMH application was granted unanimous approval at the November 12, 2016, meeting of the UHMS Board of Directors.
John Peters / Renee Duncan, Executive Director, UHMS / Communications
The SBMH promotes a biannual forum, regularly held in São Paulo, as well as a biannual congress in different cities. The next biannual congress, the 8th Brazilian Congress on Hyperbaric Medicine, is set for the city of Florianópolis in the state of Santa Catarina October 26-28, 2017. For more information on this event, contact diretoria@sbmh.com.br.
“It will be a great pleasure for the Brazilian hyperbaric community to be part of this very distinguished scientific institution,” said Dr. Alves.
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy has a long history in Brazil, beginning in 1934 with Professor Alvaro Ozório de Almeida (1882-1952), who published several papers on the use of HBO2 in treating leprosy, syphilis and gas gangrene in several European medical journals. The SBMH was founded in February 1983 by Brazilian Navy and civilian doctors in Rio de Janeiro. After the installation of the first hyperbaric chamber in the main Brazilian Navy Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, the organization grew substantially. “Now we have around 180 clinical facilities in Brazil, and the SBMH has around 250 members,” noted Dr. Alves.
As with U.S. Chapters, UHMS affiliates have no application fee, and in line the maxim of ‘think globally, act locally,’ both share in the commitment to undersea and hyperbaric medicine in their respective locales.
Said UHMS president Dr. Enoch Huang: “I am very excited to welcome the Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Hiperbárica to our ranks, and I look forward to jointly promoting the highest standards of patient care and safety for hyperbaric patients in Brazil.”
“I’m delighted to learn that you have been appointed as a UHMS Affiliate,” wrote Dr. Gerardo Bosco, UHMS Vice President, to the SBMH. “Your society has just the right qualities and experience to support HBO2, with high standards in clinical practice, science and education. Welcome to the UHMS.”
Each Affiliate is an independently run international society. There are some requirements that should be met to ensure that the affiliate has similar values and is of a certain size with respect to concurrent UHMS membership numbers.
All approved Affiliate Society members receive a 50% discount on UHMS dues while retaining full privileges within the Society. Reciprocal discounts are not required of Affiliates, but some societies may wish to extend similar benefits to UHMS members. Current UHMS Vice President Dr. Gerardo Bosco is the Board of Directors representative for the Affiliates.
The SBMH joins these distinguished organizations as a UHMS Affiliate:
• European Underwater and Baromedical Society (EUBS)
• South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS)
• Canadian Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Association (CUHMA)
About the UHMS
The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association of medical professionals dedicated to the practice of undersea and hyperbaric medicine. Its mission:
• to provide a forum for professional scientific communication in basic and applied research and patient treatment in hyperbaric medicine and undersea diving;
• to promote cooperation between the life sciences and other disciplines with undersea diving activities and hyperbaric oxygen therapy;
• to provide a source of information and support in the clinical practice of hyperbaric medicine and stay abreast of legislative, legal and regulatory changes;
• to develop and promote educational activities, symposia and workshops that improve the scientific knowledge of matters related to undersea exposures and hyperbaric oxygen therapy;
• to raise the quality of care across the spectrum of hyperbaric medicine by promoting high standards of patient care and operational safety through clinical hyperbaric facility accreditation.
For more information see www.uhms.org.
Source: Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society