Why a European Certification for Spine Specialists is needed (Pr. Finn B. Christensen, Past Chair SSE Education Committee)

The ability to improve, restore and enhance patients’ lives is a privilege that is founded in public trust. Therefore, the importance of continuous medical education and continuous professional development is self-evident to spine professionals. As progress in spinal treatment strategies ever faster, the necessity to update ones knowledge is even greater. It has been stated that about half of all medical knowledge is out of date within 5 years and it was the great Greek philosopher Socrates that stated: “If you think education is expensive, you should consider ignorance”.

 

Request of recognition increases exponentially at national level and the development of national structures therefore need to be followed. For that purpose, the SSE wants to develop standards and policies in key areas of spinal postgraduate training, continuing spinal education and professional development quality assurance in specialist practices. The objectives include  the promotion of quality patient care through the harmonization and improvement in the quality of spine specialist care and education throughout Europe as well as the encouragement and facilitation of CME for European Spine Specialists. In the new “Europe” the health care labor force must have calibrated, standardized and recognized education strategies enabling the workforce flexibility across borders.

 

The medical device industry and the pharmaceutical industry have over the last decade generated important education programs, but predominantly product orientated. However, their ability to bring products and therapies to patients who need them requires the trust of many different groups: patients, patient associations, physicians, hospitals, payers, other healthcare institutions, regulators, policy makers and even media. One of the most important challenges faced by the physicians right now is preserving legitimate collaboration with the device industry. Therefore, one goal of the following SSE education program is to minimize potential education conflicts (doctor/industry) and to foster an education culture of ethics and transparency, and continuously reviewing our practices and make them evolve as necessary to maximize trust and preserve innovation.

To achieve this we believe that there are a number of factors to be considered in the coming years:

  • To implement the following education program at a national level to eliminate language barriers, establish guidelines on management strategy of new treatment modalities (new implants, pharmaceuticals, rehabilitation strategies, etc.) from proof of concept to quality improvement, assurance, and control (Spine Tango registries, National databases, etc.)
  • To encourage the formation of multi-disciplinary spine centers to work in teams (GP, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Rehabilitation specialists, Rheumatologists, Orthopedic surgeons, Neurosurgeons, and Psychologists).
 

All European organizations focusing of spinal treatment with cross border collaboration are concerned. Many National Spine Societies or Federations have the same problems and arrive at national solutions. The SSE should harness the skills and resources and co-ordinate more closely with the National organizations and have close contact with each of the National Spine Society representatives to improve educational cohesion and co-operation. There may be other areas of useful cross fertilization.

Med Techs and Bio Techs industries should also be invited to contribute by communicating relevant technical information as an integral part of standard education knowledge.

It would be mutually advantageous to establish a framework for European cooperation in many areas such as European reference networks, education, health technology assessment, data collection and quality and safety guidelines. SSE should continue the fruitful contact with the National Spine Societies in Europe and offer its full support to deliver the SSE educational program. To initiate the process, the National Societies have been proposed to contribute to designing the content of the European Educational program hence to join this new European Plan Initiative. The European diploma education program is now activated at the SSE level but also national courses are delivered in 2011.

 

Next: Establishing Standard