ISSUE 3 /// FRIDAY, 4 September 2015 /// EUROSPINE2015.EU
EUROSPINE WAY FORWARD STRATEGY – ON TRACK FOR THE FUTURE Stakeholder Council 1. Further strengthen our stakeholder network to establish valuable partnerships as a source of expertise, education and funding 2. Set appropriate priorities in dealing with our eight different categories of stakeholders, ranging from MedTechs and sponsors to government, political institutions and many more
Michael Ogon, Incoming President of EUROSPINE
MESSAGE FROM THE INCOMING PRESIDENT: ALIGNING THE EUROSPINE ORGANISATION TO ACHIEVE OUR VISION
of patients, members, spine professionals and our many different stakeholders. It is very demanding, as the interests of these groups are quite diverse.
2014 was a year of pivotal changes to the organisational structure of EUROSPINE. 2015 has been a year of focussed action and further positive change as we implement our Way Forward strategy. We have made steady progress on all four of our strategic priorities: 1. Members 2. Stakeholders 3. Education/Meetings/Research 4. Efficient Organisation
NEW ORGANISATION WITH COUNCIL CHAIRS FOCUSSING ON CORE TASKS To manage the complexity of this task and to ensure steady and continuous progress on all fronts, we restructured our Executive Committee (ExCom) to make each ExCom member responsible for a Council with clear responsibilities and a strong focus on clearly-defined strategic priorities:
As incoming president, I am fully committed to continuing the work of my predecessors Haluk Berk, Phil Sells and Ferran Pellisé and their efforts to move EUROSPINE closer to achieving our vision – to be the driving force and the primary and preferred partner in Europe for all spinal care issues. This vision is of course very ambitious and it has required a strong commitment from all my colleagues on the Executive Committee to strengthen EUROSPINE for the benefits
Membership Council 1. Expand our membership to attract more young members and additional members from a broad range of disciplines and countries 2. Further strengthen the European Advisory Board (EuSSAB) as a platform for our Institutional Members to meet and discuss topics of common interest, such as a pan-European spine diploma 3. Ensure ongoing highquality services and benefits for the growing membership base
Meeting Council 1. Ensure that our Annual Meeting is and shall remain the core element of our educational and scientific offering 2. Further diversify the scientific offering at our 3rd Spring Specialty Meeting (Krakow, May 12-13, 2016) Education Council 1. Develop a comprehensive new “European Spine Course Diploma (ESCD)” (next course: Strasbourg, October 25 – 29, 2015) 2. Develop an advanced course in collaboration with EANS, “Extended Indications and Advanced Operative Techniques” (next course: Innsbruck, September 6-8, 2015) Research Council 1. Present courses on spine research methodology (next course: Milan, March 7-11, 2016) 2. Establish an independent and transparent review and monitoring process for grant applications CLEAR PRIORITIES FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL LINE As EUROSPINE continues to grow – and managing the business aspects becomes increasingly complex – we have implemented some organisational measures to improve efficiency in handling the increased workload. In addition, we must ensure that we are in full accordance with the
corporate compliance standards required for a society of our size. My predecessor, Haluk Berk (President), and Everard Munting (Secretary) have initiated a project to further streamline our internal processes and organisation. We have divided the responsibilities for internal support functions for all education and research activities, administrative and marketing support between Erin Goddard and Judith Reichert. To ensure the appropriate implementation of our Way Forward strategy and to further professionalise our organisation, we have established a new position: “Delegate of the ExCom”. We have asked Beat Leimbacher, our former strategic advisor, to take on this position as a part time function. It is his role to support our stakeholder management, optimise internal structures and processes, define and implement organisational governance directives and lead our strategyrelevant communications. In addition to his role as Treasurer, Finn Christensen has taken over as Chair of the Stakeholder Council to develop a new sponsoring concept. It is now in the process of being discussed and finalised with some of our core stakeholders. Phil Sell, our past President, and Everard Munting have taken over additional sponsorship roles for two specific projects that are of strategic importance to EUROSPINE: Patient Line Re-design (Sponsor Phil Sell / Committee Chair) Patient Line is our education and information system for patients. Since it went live in 2007, however, the internet and the proportion of patients using the web for health care information has exploded, making it more and more difficult to update the old text-based system. Our Patient Line Committee is now in the process of re-
engineering the website, which should be ready soon. It will then be populated with content. The next steps will be a testing process with members and patients to refine the links within the sites and to further fill in content with articles written by a professional spine media editor. Spine Tango (Sponsor Everard Munting / Committee Chair: Tim Pigott, UK) Since the year 2000, EUROSPINE has been developing a registry for the documentation of surgical and non-surgical treatments in response to a growing demand for outcome measurement and quality assurance. We are constantly monitoring how the registry is valued by its users and participating hospitals. At the same time, we are inviting all spine specialists to submit data to the registry. MY PERSONAL COMITTMENT My top priority as President of EUROSPINE will be the continued improvement of our education and research activities. In that respect, it is equally important to ensure our ongoing and long-term support of the MedTech Industry, who not only provide expertise and education, but are also an important source of funding through sponsorships and the purchase of booth space at our meeting activities. I am also fully committed to ensuring that our organisational structure and internal processes will support and enable further growth. We must continue to provide excellent services to members and spine professionals. Furthermore, I am in favour of any activity that helps to further strengthen our cooperation with other national spine societies. In that respect I am really looking forward to serving as your next president.
ISSUE 3 /// FRIDAY, 4 September 2015 /// EUROSPINE2015.EU
Writing competition for Patient Line
EUROSPINE WAY FORWARD STRATEGY
Calling all EUROSPINE members, and particularly new or ‘young’ members win a free entry to EUROSPINE 2016 in Berlin!
I am here with Björn Rydevik who is the new research council chair for EUROSPINE at the 2015 meeting at Copenhagen. Björn, it is a pleasure to meet you and be here with you. What is your background?
hPatient Line is undergoing a re-engineering process. We are seeking up to date, reassuring, and even challenging items. They should be important issues to you that would be of interest and relevance to patients and carers viewing the new website. It could be personal and emotional, how a spinal patient ‘touched’ you as a doctor. It could be on the difficult decisions you sometimes make. It could about how you separate effective new technology from the in-effective. Be imaginative! We invite you to submit a short piece in English (500 words
maximum, without references, which are optional) about any topic that you think patients would like to know about. All submissions must be evidencebased and up to date, but we also welcome content about historical events, providing they are still relevant to practice today. The deadline for submissions is 1 September 2015, 12 noon, CEST. Please submit your proposal toinfo@eurospine.org Subject to patient line committee scrutiny, entries might be published on Patient Line. The three winners will receive free registration for EUROSPINE 2016 (5-7 October/ Berlin, Germany).
programme highlights Friday, 4 September
08:30 - 10:00 Growing spine Room: Plenary hall Chairs: Martin Gehrchen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Acke Ohlin, I am orthopaedic surgeon and I am professor of Malmö, Sweden orthopaedics at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. My main focus has always been clinical 10:30 - 12:00 The ‘Best of Show’ papers - the aspects of spinal disorders, in particular, degenerative highest scored abstract submissions spinal disorders of various types. Research-wise I have The 2015 Best Podium Award will be been running a line of research basic science oriented evaluated out of the seven toward mechanisms spinal pain, disc degeneration, presentation of this session. The spinal disc herniation and so forth. audience is asked to vote via the EUROSPINE App! What has been your previous involvement with Room: Plenary hall EUROSPINE? Chairs: Margareta Nordin, Romorantin, France; Phil J Sell, I have been a member of EUROSPINE since its Leicester, UK beginning when the society was formed and I was privileged and happy to serve as the local host for the 12:00 - 14:00 EUROSPINE Lunch Symposia EUROSPINE meeting in Gothenburg in 2001. In EUROSPINE Lunch Smyposium 5: Adjacent addition I have been a member of the task force on Segment Disease – Facts and Myths research for years. Room: Auditorium 11 Chair: Klaus J. Schnake, Fürth, With all your experience in the task force on Germany research and your past involvement in EUROSPINE Lunch Smyposium 6: The raise and EUROSPINE – What are your goals in your new fall of new technologies position as research council chair? Room: Auditorium 12 Chair: Philip Sell, Leicester, UK First of all, I would like to acknowledge all the achievements that have been made by the previous 14:00 - 15:20 QuickFires - concurrent sessions task force under the leadership of Margareta Nordin Basic science and of course I would like to continue to build on Chairs: Karin Würtz-Kozak, Zurich, those achievements and the platform which she and Switzerland; Cornelia Neidlingerthe task force created. I see the courses of various Wilke, Ulm, Germany types as very important and as something that Cervical spine could hopefully help to define the role of research Chairs: Serdar Kahraman, Istanbul; in promoting the development of quality of spinal TR; Emre Acaroglu, Ankara, healthcare. This is one issue – another aspect of the Turkey work by the research council is clinical work and research related to the international spine registry Thoraco-lumbar spine, degenerative “Spine Tango”. The established collaboration Chairs: Jörg Franke, Dortmund, between Spine Tango and the national spine registries Germany; Martin Repko, Brno, is marvellous and we are still exploring new ways for Czech Republic cooperation in order to improve the overall quality of spinal healthcare. Growing spine Chairs: Thomas Andersen, Research is certainly a top priority at EUROSPINE Copenhagen, Denmark; Hossein and we look forward to the further development of Mehdian, Nottingham, UK the research council. Trauma, tumour Thank you very much for your time. Chairs: Marco Teli, Milan, Italy; Thomas Zweig, Langenthal, Switzerland New techniques, imaging, patient safety, infection, complications Chairs: Dominique Rothenfluh, Nottingham, UK; Christoph Siepe, Munich, Germany 15:50 - 17:30 New techniques, imaging, patient safety, infection, complications Room: Plenary Hall Chairs: Cédric Barrey, Lyon, France; Yann-Philippe Charles, Strasbourg, France Audience Response System How to participate in interactive votings 1. Download and start the app: All versions are available at http://app. eurospine.org. The app will automatically download the latest data on its first launch. 2. Select ARS from the main
menu:To participate in interactive votings, you need an internet connection (WiFi). If your WiFi is not working, the app will switch to voting via text messages (roaming costs may apply) 3. Select the voting session: Please select the session on which you intend to vote. 4. Vote: When the speaker asks
you to vote, please choose the proper button according to the instructions shown on the screen. The time to vote is limited for each question.
ISSUE 3 /// FRIDAY, 4 September 2015 /// EUROSPINE2015.EU
EUROSPINE WAY FORWARD STRATEGY – ON TRACK FOR THE FUTURE to improve lives of patients. Spine disability is complex and we need multidisciplinary and transparent actions across borders by professional, societies and institutions throughout Europe and beyond. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON EUROSPINE’S PROGRESS ON ITS WAY FORWARD STRATEGY?
Margareta Nordin, Incoming Vice President of EUROSPINE
EUROSPINE: CREATING A COMMUNITY APPROACH TO TACKLING SPINE DISABILITIES Margareta Nordin shares her insight and priorities as incoming Vice President of EUROSPINE HOW DID YOU COME TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE VICE PRESIDENT OF EUROSPINE? I was born in Switzerland, grew up in France and Sweden, and then studied in Sweden and the United States. My first degree was in physical therapy and my second degree, Dr. Med. Sci., is from the University of Gothenburg, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sweden under the leadership of the late Professor Alf Nachemson and Professor Gunnar Andersson. In the 1980’s I accepted a position to start a new unit at New York University (NYU), Department of Orthopaedics to prevent disability from spine pain. I also directed the NYU Program of Biomechanics and Ergonomics at the Graduate School. In 2011, after my tenure at NYU, I moved back to the Loire Valley in France – a wonderful place. My main interests are the prevention of spinal disabilities, empowering the patient with shared decisionmaking and creating and implementing effective evidencebased treatments. In 2011, I set up the Task Force Research (TFR) for EUROSPINE. It has been a truly rewarding experience. I am a person who needs to learn something new every day and I am a dedicated to education and research translating into clinical practice. Seeing patients, students, residents and individuals grow and take on new responsibilities is one of my passions. On a more personal side I am very accessible – I like good discussions, reading, good food
and outdoors activities. I am truly honoured to be elected first female Vice President and will build on my predecessors’ prior work to make EUROSPINE the leading Society in Europe. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT YEAR? To make EUROSPINE grow and diversifiy. We have women of excellence in EUROSPINE but they are too few. EUROSPINE also needs to become more diversified, attracting more basic scientists, chiropractors, engineers, nurses, physical therapists, osteopaths and others to build a spine community to prevent disability. About 15-20% are specific or surgical ailments, but most spine pain in the world is non-surgical. Our Society should reflect more advancement in non-surgical treatments. As Vice President for EUROSPINE, I will continue to build on the efforts and successes of prior Presidents and Vice Presidents to strengthen our Society by: • Making our Councils stronger and more successful • Recruiting new members and promoting current members who want to participate in taking EUROSPINE to the next level • Promoting collaboration with other spine societies to create a community approach to the prevention of spine disability as the premier cause of disability in the world • Increasing interest in research to help patients We can do it and we should do it. It is important to listen and learn what society members want, what MedTech companies would like to achieve, how other spine organisations and institutions would like to collaborate and how we can raise money for more research
2015 has been a tremendous year of growth for EUROSPINE on all fronts – record numbers of new members, affiliation with European national societies and a new organisational structure with well-defined councils (members, stakeholders, education and research, and meetings) to lead the society. I am committed to supporting each of our five Councils as described below: 1. Membership Council Christoph Siepe has done formidable work in attracting new members and members’ organisations with EUSSAB. The record number of abstracts submitted for the Annual Meeting in Copenhagen is a sign that EUROSPINE is growing and striking the right chord with its activities. 2. Education Council Joerg Franke has increased participation in EUROSPINE’s Master Education – an ongoing success. I would like to integrate a research component into the education so that clinicians feel confident in evaluating
research articles – a must for the future clinicians to sort out the good from the less good with no clinical impact or possible impact in the future. Bringing all education under EUROSPINE has improved the Society’s ability meet members’ requirements. EUSSAB is a platform for national European Societies to jointly develop a pan-European spine diploma. 3. Research Council Chaired by Bjorn Rydevik, the Council has three aims: to promote Task Force on Research (Chair Bjorn Rydevik Research courses and Grant Distribution) Spine Tango (Chair Tim Pigott) and Awards (Chair Michael Ogdon). The Task Force on Research (2011 to 2015) has distributed more than € 500’000 directly back to members for high quality studies and educated more than 70 researchers in research methodology from 17 countries. This creates a research community and is a start. Spine Tango published 16 peerreviewed articles in 2014-2015 on EUROSPINE registries. Finally, EUROSPINE awarded € 12’000 for best papers at the Annual Meeting in 2014. Research is the key to excellence in clinical practice and I will continue to promote the Research Council. 4. Stakeholders Council Led by Finn Christensen, this is a very important Council as it deals with the patients, all external organisations, government, patient organisations, press and media and other societies
Eurospine App Have the most relevant and upto-date conference information at hand! Free WIFI is available within the entire congress venue. Not only will you be able to easily access scientific and logistical congress information (e.g. programme, speakers, sessions, congress venue,...), but you will also be able to participate in
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to promote spine health and disability treatments. It is one of my goals to increase the visibility of EUROSPINE to its networks and increase the feasibility of collaborative projects. 5. Meeting Council Chaired by Thomas Blattert, this Council organises our Annual Meetings, Spring Meetings, Lunch Symposia and Pre-courses to the Annual meeting. It is a success story, attracting more participants to each meeting every year. Going forward we need to advertise our meetings and collaborate with other spine organisations and institutions for increased participation and success ... ANY FINAL MESSAGES FOR OUR READERS TODAY? My role as Vice President is to listen carefully to what members and stakeholders consider important for the Society. A tremendous amount of work has been done by my predecessors. EUROSPINE is growing and I want to thank Haluk Berk, Phil Sell, Ferran Pellisé and Federico Balagué. If you have any suggestions for making our Society even more successful in a cost-efficient way, please feel free to contact me at margareta.nordin@nyu.edu I will be sure to review and consider all suggestions I receive. Thank you for the honour of making me Vice President of EUROSPINE.
ISSUE 3 /// FRIDAY, 4 September 2015 /// EUROSPINE2015.EU
EUROSPINE WAY FORWARD STRATEGY – ON TRACK FOR THE FUTURE I am here with Stavros Stavridis who is the incoming chair of the program committee of the EUROSPINE 2015 annual meeting in Copenhagen. Stavros, it is a pleasure to be here with you. You are the new Chair of the program committee. Maybe tell us a little bit about yourself and the pervious involvement with EUROSPINE?
about the reviewing processes this year. We had almost 950 abstracts submitted. This was a huge amount of work so it is the most important aspect to make sure that we have a high quality reviewing process so that the truly best abstracts pass and that they are presented at the meeting in order to ensure the high quality of or meeting.
Thank you very much, I am really glad to be here and honored to be responsible for the program committee. I am an orthopedic spine surgeon from Greece. I first became member of EUROSPINE in 2012 and in 2014 I became member of the program committee. I enjoy working in this committee especially since we constantly try to improve the quality of our programs. Let me first thank the chairman of the committee Prof. Thomas Blattert and all the members who have all worked very well together so far to create great programs.
I think we have made some important steps during the last years and now I think we have a solid basis for reviewing, but there is always still place for further small steps for advancement, there are things to improve, things that you can fine-tune, some things of the process and if we take into consideration in the coming years, we expect to have more than 1000 abstracts if this trend goes on. I think we have hard work would be able to guarantee a high quality programme also for the coming meetings, starting with Berlin 2016.
We were obviously all already very much involved in the abstract reviewing process this year and the scientific programme, how do you like the scientific programme?
There will be a lot of work ahead of you. Do you have any specific goals during your term as the chair of the programme committee?
Let me first talk a little bit
We wish you good luck for your new position, thank you for your time.
welcome the newly elected ExCom officers Margareta Nordin, Vice-President Thomas Blattert, Secretary Björn Rydevik, Research Council Chair Stavros Stavridis, Meeting Council Chair As EUROSPINE member you can have your professional portrait picture taken and receive it in high resolution for personal use after you have created your My EUROSPINE Profile on our website! Take advantage of this service and come by at the EUROSPINE booth Tip for New Members If you did not have a chance to pick-up your member certificate during the New Members Cocktail, simply come by at the booth and pick it up there. Take the opportunity to come and play with the newest feature at the EUROSPINE booth, the interactive touch table.
Thank you very much
Yes, this year there were some new categories introduced. We
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really had 200 submissions for this new category “new techniques” and “patient safety”. These categories will remain in the future and I think they will gain more popularity, achieving even more submissions. What is also important is that we have the spring specialty meeting, which will take place in Kraków, Poland, this coming May, dealing with spinal cord injuries and spinal trauma and I think it is also important for our committee to try very hard every year to improve this relatively new meeting.
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ISSUE 3 /// FRIDAY, 4 September 2015 /// EUROSPINE2015.EU
ISSUE 3 /// FRIDAY, 4 September 2015 /// EUROSPINE2015.EU