ESC registries to be self-financing for better political leverage
“An important innovation is that registries will be independent of Industry," said Professor Ferrari. "This means we will be able to use the information gathered for political leverage and to get cardiovascular disease higher up the agenda in Brussels."
Having one registry, he says, will help the ESC understand whether guidelines are being properly used. Countries found not to be following the guidelines can be identified and targeted for tailored education through their national societies. Improving the ESC Clinical Practice Guideline brand is another priority, with plans under way to employ a professional medical writer to produce even higher quality guidelines. “Getting cardiologists to take our guidelines seriously is central to advancing cardiovascular practice in Europe,” he said.
Further innovations include financial support for the 22 ESC Working Groups to produce their own position papers and policy documents. The annual congress remains at the heart of development plans, with a continuing desire to be open to new venues and ideas.The big hope now, said Professor Ferrari, is that under the 2010 Spanish Presidency of the EU CVD prevention will be given a Council recommendation. “The ESC has been making strenuous efforts to achieve this," he explained. "An EU Council recommendation represents the highest EU instrument in healthcare."
Continuity, co-operation, coordination and consolidation: "the 4 Cs"
Professor Ferrari updated progress on delivering his election promise of continuity, co-operation, coordination and consolidation, dubbed "the 4 Cs". Throughout the year, he said, he has made 48 trips tonational societies, affiliate societies and associations. “Personal contact helps establish a rapport and improve communication throughout the Society.” An election promise to have the presidents of all five ESC Associations present on the ESC Board has also contributed to activating the 4Cs.
Professor Ferrari has also kept his promise to take a sabbatical from his appointment at the University of Ferrara in Italy to spend more time at the ESC Heart House headquarters in France. “We're making good progress in the running of the ESC, and thestaff are working as a more cohesive team,” he said, adding that Isabel Bardinet, the current director of the Congress Division, has just been appointed CEO of the Society with effect from October.
Speaking to ESC Congress News, Ms Bardinet said: “I’m really looking forward to working as part of a team with ESC Board members, the Committees, staff and cardiologists. It’s important that we keep on brainstorming and innovating in cardiology and that’s what we will do.