The Portuguese
National Society on
EBAC accreditation
and CME programs
Cardiologists, as well as other medical specialists,
need to constantly update their knowledge and skills as a requirement
for offering the best quality medicine to their patients. This
knowledge update can only be achieved by high standard continuing
medical education (CME) programs. We recognized that the quality
of these CME programs has to be reasonably homogeneous across
all European Union (EU) countries, in such a way that at the
end, all patients inside EU will have access to the same quality
of care. By coping with EBAC quality requirements the harmonization
of CME programs in Cardiology across EU countries is possible
and desirable.
The Board of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology is strongly
committed to improve the standards of CME programs in Portugal.
The main objectives of our Board in this respect are threefold
First, to recognize EBAC quality requirements and accreditation
as a valuable service for Portuguese cardiologists. This was
already accomplished.
Second, to create the conditions for the organization of CME
programs that follow the EBAC accreditation standards. This
objective is being pursued and we hope that the next Portuguese
Congress of Cardiology held in Vilamoura, in April 2002, will
be the first scientific meeting in Portugal to have some sessions
accredited by EBAC.
Third, to create, in collaboration with the Portuguese Medical
Association, a National Body of Accreditation that will be responsible
for the implementation of a Portuguese Accreditation Program
in Cardiology. This program, that is currently being organized,
will evaluate the "Internal" CME programs, as a complement
of EBAC-recognized "External" CME programs.
Prof. R.J Seabra-Gomes, MD, PhD, F.E.S.C,
F.A.C.C.
President of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology
Prof. L.M. Gonçalves, MD, PhD, F.E.S.C
Vice-President of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology
Portuguese Delegate for the UEMS-Cardiology Section
Website of the Portuguese
Society of Cardiology: www.spc.pt