AIMS
The goal of the Hand Trauma Group of the Clinical Practice Committee is to improve standards of care for emergency hand trauma in Europe.
In order to achieve this goal, the Group is responsible for the ongoing strategy for the European Emergency Hand Trauma Network and the accreditation process for participating Centers.
The Group
- Collect data from participating centers
- Define the standards for delivery of emergency hand trauma services
- Sets the Inclusion Criteria for the European Emergency Hand Trauma Network and the Accreditation process of Hand Trauma and Replantation Centers
- Analyze the data so that differences and similarities between the European countries can be identified and discussed
The Group encourages the participation and collaboration of all countries to join the European Emergency Network of Hand Trauma and Replantation Centers.
THE EUROPEAN EMERGENCY HAND TRAUMA NETWORK
It is recognized that emergency hand trauma services are delivered by many well qualified hand trauma surgeons who do not necessarily work in hospitals with 24 hour dedicated emergency hand surgery teams.
The proposed network exists for the purposes of collaboration in audit, research, teaching and training. The accreditation process recognizes those centres delivering services to the highest standards as Hand Trauma and Replantation Centers (HTRC).
A Hand Trauma and Replantation Center (HTRC) can apply to be accredited as part of the network following the criteria defined by the former Hand Trauma Committee.
If the applicant unit does not fulfill the criteria to become an HTRC, the unit will be placed on a list of recognized “Hand Trauma Units”, provided that it fulfils a minimum of requirements, and will participate in the hand trauma network. The Hand Trauma Units (HTU) will not be audited, are not certified by FESSH. Some minimum criteria are also necessary for Hand Trauma Units listed in the trauma network.
The criteria for the units of trauma network are suitable of changing once a year by the Group and FESSH Council.
The national representatives of FESSH Hand Trauma and the board of each national hand society could check the data provided by their national units or centres if required by the Group and report problems if any.
The recognition of Accredited Hand Trauma and Replantation Centers will be the responsibility of the Group.
A validation of the HTRCs (audits) will be undertaken, randomly, by members of the committee and one FESSH Hand Trauma national representative.
In order to build a real European cooperation through this network, two national representatives for each FESSH country will be appointed by the boards of each National Hand Surgery Society. (Duties of the National Representatives)