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excellent job leading the office before me, and there were significant advancements in methodology during his tenure. The history of the guidelines goes all the way back to 2000, so I understand the weight and significance behind them.
So, what exactly are my responsibilities? Well, we're currently working on 21 topics and developing corresponding guidelines for each one. This means I have to coordinate all the panels involved, not to mention the Methods Committee, Dissemination Committee, and Associates Programme. Right now, we have nearly 300 dedicated individuals working on the EAU Guidelines. That's a substantial number of people! My main responsibility is to ensure that they feel supported in their altruistic efforts. I need to take care of them, making sure the entire process is completed and adheres to all the necessary standards, such as transparency, methodology, and patient involvement. Additionally, I aim to facilitate meaningful dialogues between the guidelines and other groups or societies. I must say, there's a lot of work involved, but at the end of the day, it's the incredible individuals working on the guidelines who are the real stars. They're the ones who make everything happen. So, my main job is to make sure they feel valued, have the resources they need, and can carry out their fantastic work. I'm genuinely grateful for the opportunity to be part of this amazing team.
T.S.: How important it is to have common European Guidelines?
M.R.: You know, having guidelines is super important at all levels—local, regional, national, and even European. They make a direct impact on patient care. They help us as doctors make better clinical decisions and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes. Guidelines also contribute to making healthcare more efficient. So, why do we need European guidelines specifically? Well, I think there are a few reasons.
First, European guidelines promote standardization, which is great for our patients. They encourage the sharing of best practices across Europe, fostering collaboration and bringing in different perspectives. This collaboration leads to better quality care overall. Another benefit of having common guidelines is that they help us align resources. When everyone follows the same guidelines, it's easier to allocate resources effectively. And let's not forget, European guidelines also give us a chance to influence policymakers. They give us a platform to speak up and have our voices heard, shaping policies that impact healthcare on
a larger scale. In the end, European guidelines are important for all of us. They not only improve patient outcomes, which is what it's all about, but they also have a positive impact on overall healthcare results. Plus, they allow us to have a say in policies and contribute to the advancement of education in our field.
T.S.: Could you please tell as a few words about your daily practice in the Guidelines Office. How difficult is it to end up with the guidelines every year?
M.R.: Look time to time, I like this question because when the EAU Guidelines are already released every year and people collect them at the EAU annual meeting, they only see the final product, the book or now the USB. And you cannot imagine all the job that is behind. So, the day after release, they start working again on the next update. Our guidelines are updated every year. This means that we need to do a scope search of all the literature at different levels published in the last years, to be incorporated into the updates. We should run systematic reviews; we should review all the chapters. So, this means that all the Panels need to work from the day after that the Guidelines are released. All the Panels meet several times per year. We have a Methods Committee to help them in methodology and we have a lot of stuff supporting the scope research etc. So, honestly speaking, there is a lot of work behind and I like this question, because I think that this should be highlighted. Because all the Panels do a fabulous work. So, I think that this is a really really tough work behind the Guidelines. Even the Office, they work a lot, because once you have the material, then you have to produce it, you have to do the type setting, you have to put in on the web, you have to produce the book, you have to produce the pocket guidelines etc. So, imagine all the job behind!
T.S.: How important do you think the integration of the patients’ voice to the Guidelines is, in order to provide the best possible health care?
M.R.: Wouldn’t just call it important, I'd say it's absolutely crucial! Incorporating patients into the guideline development process ensures that the guidelines are truly patient-centered. The landscape of medicine is evolving, moving away from a paternalistic approach towards a patient-centered model. If we want to fully embrace this patient-centered model, it's essential that our guidelines align with this philosophy. Seriously, it's not just some optional thing. It's a must-
Tεύχος 24 | Ioύλιος-Αύγουστος 2023
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