California Must License Perfusionists
17 states protect their patients with full perfusion licensure. California is not one of them. It's time to change that. Join us in advocating for the licensing of perfusionists across the Golden State.
What Does a Perfusionist Do?
A perfusionist is a highly specialized healthcare professional who operates the heart-lung bypass machine during open-heart surgery. When a surgeon stops the heart to repair or replace a valve, bypass blocked arteries, or transplant a heart, the perfusionist takes over — keeping the patient's blood oxygenated and circulating.
Perfusionists also manage ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) — life support technology used in critically ill patients with heart or lung failure — and administer anticoagulation therapy, blood products, and anesthetic agents during surgery.
Simply put: there is no open-heart surgery without a perfusionist. They are indispensable members of the cardiac surgical team, yet in California they remain without a true state license.
California's Current Status: A Titling Law — Not a License
Since 1993, California has had a titling law (Business & Professions Code §2590–2596) that restricts who may call themselves a "perfusionist." The law requires graduation from an accredited perfusion program and passage of the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) examination.
But here is the critical gap: California has no state licensing board for perfusionists. There is no state agency that issues licenses, investigates complaints, or can discipline a perfusionist for unsafe practice. Enforcement relies entirely on voluntary certification through a private national body — not the State of California.
This means: a perfusionist in California who engages in unsafe practice faces no state-level license revocation. That would never be acceptable for a physician, nurse, or pharmacist. Why should it be acceptable for the professional operating the heart-lung machine?
Where Does California Stand?
17 states have already enacted full perfusion licensure. California is not among them.
States with Full Licensure
17 states protect their patients
California's Status
No state licensing board for perfusionists
No state-issued perfusionist license
No formal state complaint or discipline process
Title protection law exists (BPC §2590)
ABCP certification required to use the title
Title protection ≠ Licensure.
California needs the real thing.
Why Full Licensure Matters
Full state licensure is not just a professional milestone — it is a patient safety imperative. Here is what California stands to gain.
Patient Safety
Full licensure gives California a state-level mechanism to investigate complaints, suspend or revoke licenses, and remove unsafe practitioners from the operating room — protections that the current titling law simply cannot provide.
Accountability & Oversight
A state licensing board creates a formal disciplinary process. Today, a perfusionist who causes patient harm faces no state-level consequence unless they also commit a crime. Licensure closes that gap.
Enforceable Standards
Licensure codifies a clear scope of practice enforceable by the state — not just professional organizations. It ensures every perfusionist in a California OR meets the same baseline of verified competency.
Public Trust & Transparency
Patients and families deserve to know that the professional operating the heart-lung machine on their loved one is credentialed, verified, and accountable to the State of California — just like their surgeon and anesthesiologist.
Consistent Quality of Care
Research shows that standardized oversight improves clinical performance. Perfusionists in licensed states operate within clearer guidelines, leading to more consistent, evidence-based patient care.
Interstate Practice & Mobility
Full licensure opens the door to interstate compact agreements, allowing licensed perfusionists from other states to practice in California during emergencies or shortages — expanding access to care.
The California Perfusion Society's Position
The California Perfusion Society strongly supports full state licensure for perfusionists. We believe every Californian who undergoes cardiac surgery deserves the same protection afforded to patients in 17 other states. We call on the California Legislature to act — and we need your voice to make it happen.
Add Your Voice
Sign your name in support of perfusion licensure in California. Your information will be shared with the California Perfusion Society's advocacy team to help demonstrate public and professional support to state legislators.
Want to Get More Involved?
Join the California Perfusion Society and help us drive this advocacy campaign forward. Together, we can bring full licensure to California.