Allied health professionals

The AHP Committee will guide the Association in its efforts to champion the role and influence of those allied health professionals – nurses, nurse practitioners, surgical care practitioners, therapists, perfusionists and other non-surgeons – involved in the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cardiothoracic conditions. The purpose of the AHP Committee is to lead, advise and support EACTS activities in all matters concerning cardiothoracic allied health professionals, including educational output, research, training, and Guidelines. EACTS is a membership Association of surgery, not surgeons, and the involvement and influence of the professionally diverse range of our membership is a vital part of our mission.

Members

• Richard van Valen

Richard van Valen

Biography >>

Allied Health Professionals Committee

Chair 2023-2025

BIOGRAPHY

Richard van Valen has been working in an academic teaching hospital as an advanced nurse practitioner for over 20 years. During that period he succesfully finished a PhD focusing on quality improvement and patient safety in Cardiac surgery. Since 2012 he has worked with allied health professionals (AHP) in Cardiac surgery to become an official committee within EACTS. This was achieved in 2023. His goal as chair is to further the visibility of AHP, integrate them within multidisciplinary guidelines and provide them with a platform to show their work.