Probably, one of the key points has been the publication of the European White Book of Electrophysiology in Europe. This book presents the most relevant information on the practice of electrophysiology in different ESC member countries. This creates a unique starting point for the development of strategies towards equal access to therapy all over Europe. All National Societies have been involved in the data collection and validation and I would like to express my deep gratitude for, and recognition of, the effort this has represented.
EHRA continues to increase its effort in education and new courses will be taking place in the Heart House, Sophia Antipolis, France, this autumn. We have organised a course on the Pharmacological Approach to Cardiac Arrhythmias to take place in october and an EP course will be held in November to prepare for the EP Accreditation exam.
Let me also express my joy at the success we had at the ESC Congress in Munich, particularly with respect to the increasing presence of Arrhytmology topics in the five day schedule. This success has given us even greater strength as we work towards the upcoming Europace 2009 Congress.
As promised in the last newsletter, and following our commitment to providing new documents to guide the daily practice of all our members, the Scientific Documents Committee has finalized a joint document between EHRA and HRS on Monitoring Devices. The full document can be downloaded in the EHRA website.
I would like to stress that, as a well established, professional organisation, we aim to provide the best possible services, catered to members' needs. In search of true added value, our membership will boast new benefits and serve as a platform to network and collaborate with others interested in the field of EP. As you may remember, further to approval from our members EHRA will now introduce a membership fee, helping us to maintain, and push for, the highest standards of representation in our field.
EHRA offers two membership options:
1. A basic membership fee of 50€
2. A full membership fee of 180€, which includes a one year subscription to the Europace Journal
All members will benefit from a wealth of exclusive advantages, including reduced fees on early registration for the EUROPACE 2009 Congress, priority housing and a reserved Members Lounge at the congress centre. Coming soon, we will provide restricted access to the EHRA Members Directory, allowing you to network with other members. EHRA Training Fellowships will now be reserved to EHRA members only and many EHRA educational activities will provide priority and/or free registration to our members. Members who choose to sit one of our Accreditation Exams will benefit from a reduced fee. Additional membership benefits are being developed.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your commitment to strengthening our Association, helping us move forward with all our projects and reinforcing EHRA's image worldwide.