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European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine |
The
scope and goals of the European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) are
defined as follows:
- Studying and defining common indications
for hyperbaric therapy, research and therapy protocols, common
standards for therapeutic and technical procedures, equipment and personnel,
cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness criteria.
- Acting as a representative body with the
European health authorities.
- Promoting further cooperation among existing
scientific organizations involved in the field of Diving and Hyperbaric
Medicine.
Structure
and regulations:
The
ECHM is structured around 3 bodies:
- The ECHM Board of Representatives
(BR) formed by all the current leaders of the Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine
associations existing in the European countries. The ECHM BR is the governing
body of the ECHM.
- The ECHM College of Advisors formed
by the immediate past and past presidents of these societies, invited distinguished
baromedical scientists and clinicians, nominated
and elected by a majority vote of the ECHM EB or BD, and the past presidents
of the ECHM.
- The ECHM Executive Board formed by
9 - 12 members coming from at least 1/2 + 1 European countries. The ECHM
EB is elected by the ECHM Board of Representatives and is in charge of the
everyday business.
ECHM
is represented by its President who is elected by the BR. Other specific offices
are Vice President in charge of international affairs, General Secretary and
Treasurer.
ECHM
operates through permanent and ad-hoc sub Committees. Permanent sub Committees
are:
Workshop and Consensus Conference Bureau:
- Scope: Topics, Scientific Committee and Jury member selection, location and date, local organiser, publication.
- Current members: F. Wattel, A. Marroni, D. Mathieu
Finance Bureau:
- Scope: Modality and procedure to find financial support.
- Current member: J. Schmutz
Research Sub Committee:
- Scope: to establish guidelines in order to improve the level of fundamental / clinical research in Hyperbaric Medicine, to propose and to implement multicentric studies.
- Current members: the COST B 14 action by its working groups B and C serves as Research Sub Committee.
Education and Training sub Committee:
- Scope: to establish recommendation and guidelines for training and continuous education of both medical and non medical persons involved in Hyperbaric Medicine activity (ies).
- Current members: J. Desola, J. Wendling, P. Longobardi, F. Wattel.
Current
achievements of the ECHM:
- The definition of European standards for
HBO indications
- ECHM recommendations for safety in multiplace medical hyperbaric chambers
- Proposals for personnel education and training
policies of the staff of a Hyperbaric Medical Centres, to be implemented
in all interested European Countries. A definition of the profile and main
caracteristics of any essential member of the staff, was agreed in the 1st
Consensus Congress. A Joint Medical Subcomission with the European Diving
Techniology Committee (EDTC)
was suggested, and laterly created, which has actively worked after then.
A full programm of minimal standards for Education of Physicians was delivered
in 1996, which will be completed in the near future for the remaining members
of the staff of Hyperbaric Medical Centers.
- Creation of a research network by inclusion
of HBO evaluation in the COST B14 program of the European Union.
Updated: 30.09.2006 by Webmaster