Discover the latest insights on the training landscape for adult congenital heart disease in Europe, where current challenges meet innovative solutions for a healthier future.
– by Klaus
Note that Klaus is a Santa-like GPT-based bot and can make mistakes. Consider checking important information (e.g. using the DOI) before completely relying on it.
Adult congenital heart disease training in Europe: current status, disparities and potential solutions.
McMahon et al., Open Heart 2023
DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2023-002558
Ho-ho-ho! Gather ’round, my merry friends, for I have a tale that’s quite the heartful matter, and it’s not about who’s been naughty or nice. It’s about the diligent elves—ahem, I mean cardiologists—specializing in the wondrous realm of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) across the frosty expanse of Europe.
Once upon a time, a questionnaire, much like my list of good children, was sent out to ACHD cardiologists from a grand total of 34 European countries. And would you believe it? Representatives from 31 of those countries, a jolly 91%, responded with the eagerness of children on Christmas Eve!
Now, here’s the twist in our yuletide yarn: ACHD cardiology was recognized by the respective ministry of Health in only two countries (that’s a mere 7%, my dear elves) as a subspecialty. And hold your reindeer—only the same number of countries had formally recognized ACHD training programs. It seems that 15 countries (48%) were relying on informal training, much like learning to wrap presents without a workshop, and 14 (45%) had very limited or no program at all.
A whopping 81% of these lands described training their ACHD doctors ‘on the job’, much like I train my elves in the art of toy-making. The median number of ACHD centers per country was a modest four, with three surgical centers and two training centers. And would you believe, only one country conducted an established exit examination in ACHD, and a mere two provided formal certification!
Now, my little helpers, there was a curious finding: the number of ACHD cardiologists seemed to jingle all the way in tune with the country’s gross domestic product, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.789 (and that’s no lump of coal, it’s statistically significant!).
In the end, my dear friends, it’s clear that formal or accredited training in ACHD is as rare as a white Christmas in July among European countries. Many rely on the old ‘train people on the job’ approach, and few offer the gift of an exit examination or certification. But fear not, for there’s hope that efforts to harmonize training and establish standards in exit examination and certification may improve training and, consequently, ensure that high-quality patient care is delivered, wrapped with a bow of expertise and care.
So let’s raise our glasses of milk and cookies to the future of ACHD training, and may all our hearts be merry and bright! 🎅🎄