UNION EUROPÉENNE DES MÉDECINS SPÉCIALISTES

EUROPEAN UNION OF MEDICAL SPECIALISTS

UEMS - Cardiology Section

UEMS CARDIOLOGY SECTIONUEMS CARDIOLOGY SECTIONNEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER

January 2007January 2007

ContentsContents

1. A message from the President2. A report from the ESC meeting in Barcelona (Quality control in the Netherlands) (Quality control in the Netherlands)3. A report from EBAC (European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology)

4. Contacts and Links

1. THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE1. THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE

The UEMS cardiology section (UEMS-CS) has been one of the most successful speciality sections of the UEMS partly because it has developed a close relationship with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The European Board of Accreditation of Cardiology (EBAC) and the European Board of Specialist of Cardiology (EBSC) are both good examples of successful joint ventures between the UEMS-CS and ESC.

The presidency, the constitution, and the Board of the UEMS-CS have all changed in the last 12 months and we are now well placed to strengthen our influence on European cardiology.

The European Commission (EC) has identified health care, notably cardiovascular disease and cancer, as a major priority and regularly invites comments from UEMS on issues such as the potential impact of new initiatives dealing with movement of patients across European borders. The UEMS-CS has an important advisory role in these matters and is responsible for promoting the harmonization of cardiology

training and cardiology health services across Europe, a goal that will become very important, if and when the free movement of patients and physicians becomes a reality.

A mandatory CME point system is likely to be introduced in all European countries soon. At the same time the quality control of health care, including cardiology, will become even more important. The Netherlands has been one of the first countries to address these issues seriously and has, for example, created a model personal audit system for cardiologists. This newsletter contains an article from Dr. Peter Polak, a new member of the UEMS-CS steering committee, describing how the Netherlands system works in practice.

The Newsletter also carries an article by Professor Lino Goncalves, the secretary of the UEMS-CS and chairman of EBAC, describing the current activities of EBAC. This has been a very successful venture but there are some outstanding differences, relating to the mechanics of accreditation, between EBAC and EACCME that need to be resolved.

The European Board of Specialist of Cardiology (EBSC) is another example of successful joint ESC/UEMS-CS project. This body is not trying

to compete with the broader educational and training initiatives of the ESC but will have an important role in developing sub-speciality training programs and will continue to promote the European Cardiologist Diploma and continuous medical training. Close collaboration between the ESC and UEMS-CS will be crucial to its continuing success; the co-chairmen will therefore be nominated by both organisations.

Finally, I would like to thank the previous UEMS-CS board, particularly our past president Jan-Peder Amlie, for their support and hard work. I am looking forward to working with the new steering committee and the new national delegates of UEMS-CS and would welcome any suggestions or ideas that you may have. The addresses and contact information of the board can be found at the end of this newsletter and on our website (www.uems-cardio.com).

Heikki Huikuri,Professor of Cardiology, President of the UEMS-CS.

DN - Insert photoDN - Insert photo

Heikki Huikuri

President UEMS cardiology sectionPresident UEMS cardiology section

2. Quality control in the Netherlands 2. Quality control in the Netherlands (a report from the ESC in Barcelona) (a report from the ESC in Barcelona)

Peter Polak, from the Netherlands, described his countries programme for quality control in cardiology at the ESC meeting in Barcelona.

Re-certificationEvery medical specialist in the Netherlands, must seek re-certification every five years. Three criteria must be met, by law:

1) being active as a cardiologist for at least 16 hours per week,

2) completing a minimum of 40 CME credits per year

3) participating in visitation.

Visitation This is an instrument by which the Dutch Society of Cardiology (NVVC) stimulates, controls and regulates the quality of work of all cardiologists in the Netherlands. The NVVC’s Quality Control Committee is staffed by 12 experienced cardiologists, specifically trained for this task. A visit is essentially a one-day peer review/medical audit conducted at the

hospital/institution by two colleagues using the multisource feedback method (MSF).An extensive questionnaire must be completed beforehand so that the visitors have all the necessary information on work schedules, task differentiation, production etc. On the day itself the visitors conduct an on site inspection and hold interviews with co-workers (MSF) in the CCU, cardiology wards, outpatient clinic, exercise, catheter and echo labs, and other staff, including members of the hospital board, doctors in training, general practitioners, other specialists and rehabilitation workers.

Three main parameters are assessed for each cardiologist - Communication, Organisation and Attitude. At the end of the day, the visitors have a clear impression of the quality of the cardiology practise and their findings are discussed with the local cardiologists.If there are no major problems the next visitation is scheduled five years later. If however, the visitation is judged to be unsatisfactory (on the basis of Quality Improvement book of the NVVC), recommendations are made and a repeat visitation, to be performed by two different visitors, will be scheduled one year later.

ResourcesIn the Netherlands, where there are about 100 hospitals, this quality control system costs about 90.000 Euro per year and is financed by the members of the NVVC. When surveyed, members of the NVVC identified quality control as the most important task of their society and their primary reason for membership.

InformationFor more information contact P.E.Polak PO box 90 5660 AB Geldrop, the Netherlands or at p.polak@st-anna.nl

3. A report from the European Board for 3. A report from the European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC)

The Organisation

The European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) is a joint venture between the UEMS-Cardiology Section (UEMS-CS) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) (see figure 1). Both organisations contribute three members. There is also a representative from Paediatric cardiology.

The EBAC chairman is from the UEMS-CS (Prof. Lino Gonçalves), the Coordinator is Joanna Ortoli (FR), and the secretary is Line Pereme (FR). The EBAC office is located at Sophia Antipolis (FR). EBAC recently created a group of external reviewers [Dr. Peter Polak (NL), Prof. Filipe Macedo (PT), Prof. H Botker (DK), Prof. T. Binder (DE)] to help conduct high quality reviews and to help monitor educational programmes in cardiology.

Figure I the oganisation of EBAC

Mission

The mission of EBAC is to stimulate, coordinate, and facilitate high quality CME in Cardiology, both for individuals and institutions, in order to provide the highest possible standard of care for patients and populations.

UEMS

Cardiology Section

ESCEuropean Society of Cardiology

Prof. L. Goncalves (PT),Dr H.R. Michels (NL),Dr C. D. Fessas (CY),

Prof. J.L. Lopez-Sendon (ES),Prof. K. Thygesen (DK),Prof. C. Bode (DE),

Prof. S. Kaku (PT)

Activities

EBAC was launched during the ESC Congress at Stockholm in 2001. The number of applications for accreditation has steadily, since then, (see figure 2); a total of 277 programmes have assigned this year (as of Sept. 30, 2006).

Fig 2 applications submitted to EBAC

This has been achieved by developing good working relations, based on compliance with EBAC rules and policies, with CME Providers; and by creating awareness through international congresses, Newsletters, Annual Reports, Website communications, and an online accredited programmes calendar.

Number of Application Forms submitted to EBAC from 2001 to 2006

1263

115169

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In addition 19 European Cardiac Societies have awarded EBAC official recognition of competence in international accreditation.

Offering a wide choice of accredited CME programmes and improving the EBAC online services has also stimulated activity.

EBAC started to accredit Distance Learning programmes at the end of 2002 as a pilot project. A trial period enabled EBAC to sharpen its accreditation policy and processes and the online submission of Distance Learning Programme was implemented in full in 2005.

As of today, EBAC accreditation has been awarded to: - 72 CME Articles and Texts - 48 Internet modules - 8 CDROMS.

There are currently more than 160 CME Providers (Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Medical Societies) registered with EBAC. 12% have submitted more than 5 educational programmes, ranging from small interactive workshops to larger congresses, CME Articles and Internet modules, for accreditation to EBAC in the last 2 years.

EBAC Website (www.ebac-cme.org)

The EBAC website contains comprehensive information on the accreditation process for CME events and products in Cardiology, as well as a list of CME activities accredited by EBAC. Activity on the website is growing rapidly (see figure 3).

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fig 3 number of hits on the EBAC website

The Future

Things have changed since 2001. Many physicians now perceive accreditation as a mandatory standard for all CME events. Moreover academic institutions now appreciate the added value accreditation brings to their educational programmes. EBAC will therefore continue to offer high quality review and monitoring of educational programmes for European Cardiology.

4. 4. CONTACTS AND LINKSCONTACTS AND LINKS

The Steering Group of UEMS -CS

President : Prof. Heikki Huikuri, Finland e-mail: heikki.huikuri@oulu.fi

Past President : Prof. Jan Peder Amlie, Norwaye-mail: uems.cardio@hjerte.org

Secretary : Prof. Lino M. Gonçalves, Portugale-mail: Lino.Goncalves@uems-cardio.com

Treasurer : Prof. Dr. Otto M. Hess, Switzerlande-mail: otto.martin.hess@insel.ch

Members : Dr Nicholas A. Boon, UK e-mail: Nick.Boon@luht.scot.nhs.uk

Prof. Andrzej Cieslinski, Polande-mail: acieslinski@cardio-one.usoms.poznan.pl

Prof. Serap Erdine , Turkeye-mail: eserdine@superonline.com

Dr. C. D. Fessas, Cyprus e-mail: fessas.md1@cytanet.com.cy

Prof. Dr. Mario Mariani, Italy e-mail: ma.mariani@dcap.med.unipi.it

Dr. H. R. Michels, The Netherlandse-mail: rolf.michels@cze.nl

Dr. Peter Erik Polak, The Netherlandse-mail:  p.polak@st-anna.nl

Prof. Dr. Ruth H. Strasser, Germanye-mail: ruth.strasser@mailbox.tu-dresden.de

Dr. András Szatmári, Hungarye-mail: president@aepc.org

Dr. Gaute Vollan, NorwayTraining representativee-mail: gaute.vollan@helse-bergen.no

EBSC and EBAC coordinator

Dr. Joanna Ortoli France tel: +33 4 9294 8688 fax: +33 4 9294 8639 e-mail: jortoli@escardio.orgThe European Heart House 2035, route des Colles Les Templiers – BP 179 06903 Sophia Antipolis Cedex – France

Links and WebsitesLinks and Websites

Link to UEMS: http://www.uems.net/

Link to UEMS Cardiology Sectionhttp://www.uems-cardio.com

Link to European Society of Cardiology:http://www.cardiology-accreditation.org/

Link to EBAC:http://www.ebac-cme.org

Link to the European Commision:http://europa.eu.int/comm/index_en.htm

Link to European Society of Hypertension:http://www.eshonline.org/esh/index.asp

Link to Paediatric Cardiology : http://www.aepc.org/