April 2005
Dr. Marius Marginean, Romanian EQuiP member, President of the National Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, Romania
Background
Romania has more than 12.000 family doctors that work under contract with the Romanian National Insurance House.
The Romanian Society of Family Medicine / General Medicine (RSFM/GM) is the biggest organizations of family doctors and has a long tradition in supporting the development of family medicine as a distinct specialty in our country.
The National Centre for Studies in Family Medicine (NCSFM) was founded in 2001 by a group of family doctors, in response to the need to concentrate human resources into a more flexible and high professional level organization.
His members are trainers in family medicine, with expertise in research, teaching and management.
Since its foundation the NCSFM developed several projects, all with the aim of increasing quality of primary health care. Some of the projects were developed in closed relation with RSFM/GM.
Sentinel Dispensaries Network
One of the most important collaboration between the NCSFM, RSFM/GM and Dutch family doctors was the development of the Sentinel Dispensaries Network Medinet.
This project was run between 2000 and 2004.
It was based on the work of 100 family doctors, spread all over the country, that collected data from primary care using computers and a dedicated medical software called MedINS.
MedINS is a friendly electronic medical records software, patient oriented, using SOAP concept and International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC 2).
In the project data was sent via Internet to a central database at the Institute of Public Health Timisoara (department of Occupational and Family Medicine) where the analysis was done.
The project was finished with the communication of data in a conference in Bucharest – April 2004 (www.medfam.ro/medinet). Data was also published.
In 2005, the Medinet Network was assessed by the EU Phare Health Project for the Improvement of NCD Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity in Romania.
At the end of the evaluation the sentinel network was recommended to the Ministry of Health as a reliable way of data collection from the primary care level.
In present, the Sentinel Network is managed by the National Centre for Studies in Family Medicine (NCSFM) (www.cnsmf.ro)
Guidelines development
One of most important project related to quality in family medicine in Romania was developed beginning with 2001 by the NCSFM in cooperation with Dutch experts. The project is called Qualy-Med.
During the project, around 40 family doctors were trained in the methodology of elaboration of guidelines on the principles of evidence based medicine and in respect with the European recommendations (NCSFM is member of GIN – Guideline International Network).
The result was the publication in 2004 of 5 evidence-based guidelines for family medicine on the following topics:
- Essential hypertension
- Type 2 diabetes
- Low back pain
- Prenatal care
- Urinary tract infection in women.
We are currently running the implementation actions – training programs, dissemination etc. Read more on www.ghidurimedicale.ro
Introduction of EPA instrument in Romania
In 2006 NCSFM started a new project – Romanian GPs goes to European Level.
The most important goal of this project is to introduce the EPA instrument in Romania. As members of TOPAS-Europe we also started to translate the materials into Romanian.
We also started a program to train15 practice visitors.
The project will end in 2007.
Inside this project we will also organize a Health Market where Romanian NGO’s which offer support activities for patients will meet family doctors and patients.
Romanian publications for Family Medicine
There are 3 dedicated journals for family medicine in Romania: Romanian Medical Journal (Revista Medicala Romana), Family Medicine (Medicina Familiei), Newsletter for Family Medicine (Buletinul Informativ pentru Medicii de Familie) – www.medfam.ro/bimf.
There is also a valuable web resource called Portal Medfam (www.medfam.ro) that contain informations for family doctors, news, legislation, phorum and a mailing list Medfam.
Links
Romanian Society of Family Medicine/General Medicine
National Centre for Studies in Family Medicine
Medinet Sentinel Dispensaries Network
Romanian Medical Guidelines for GP’s
