EHRA has now been in existence for 6 years and currently has a large portfolio of activities. As paid members (paying for membership is a new development), our members have access to exclusive benefits and privileges and are encouraged to participate more actively in the life of the Association. Some of these benefits include reduced fees to the EHRA Europace Congress, reduction in the EP Europace Journal subscription rate as well as accreditation exams. Additionally, membership provides exclusive access to Training Fellowships Programmes, to a selection of Educational content available both in print and electronically and of course, voting rights for Board elections.
Through our Committees, we strive to provide the best possible tools, education and information in the field of arrhythmias and electrophysiology and are proud to share these achievements:
The National Societies Committee assesses the needs of member countries, learns about individual structures, activities and goals, so as to communicate and collaborate on a Europe-wide level. Among their key responsibilities are to organise a Summit, bringing together working groups and national societies on electrophysiology, cardiac pacing and arrhythmias.
Alliances with other ESC associations via joint congress sessions and activities continue to flourish, as does our partnership with Cardiostim.
The unique approach to EHRA Training Fellowships, in which both individuals and training centres must apply to participate in these programmes, has been successful. The financial support of 8 grants is made available thanks to the financial support of industry partners.
The success of both EP and CP accreditation exams led by the Accreditation Committee is now established with increasing requests to sit the exams every year, demonstrating the recognition and quality of this certification.
Thanks to the EP Europace Journal and to the Scientific Document Committee, EHRA publishes a number of scientific documents, in addition to the growing number of articles we receive daily from an international audience.
The Education and Web Committees have surpassed themselves in knowledge dissemination with new initiatives on the web, including Webinars “Ask the experts” and on-line recordings of previous educational courses. The committee continues its aim to provide high quality education, with all courses being EBAC accredited.
The Scientific Initiatives Committee created in 2008, launched the first “Network of Centres” collaborating in the performance of registry initiatives and research studies. We hope that the Network will be a resource for all signatories, facilitating rapid identification of colleagues and centres prepared to help build the evidence base that supports clinical practice.
Finally, over 4 000 participants appreciated the scientific value of the EUROPACE -EHRA congress in Berlin 21-24 June 2009. The Scientific Programme Committee has now established the EUROPACE-EHRA Congress as the foremost European meeting on Cardiac Arrhythmias and Pacing. The international attendance confirms that it now reaches far beyond European borders and we hope for even greater success in June 2011 in Madrid.
Thanks to new ideas and active members who share our enthusiasm, we continue to build on a strong foundation.
Panos Vardas, FESC
President of the European Heart Rhythm Association
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