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Review
. 2018 Jul;84(Suppl 1):13-17.
doi: 10.1038/s41390-018-0078-9.

Education, training, and accreditation of Neonatologist Performed Echocardiography in Europe-framework for practice

Yogen Singh  1 , Charles Christoph Roehr  2 , Cecile Tissot  3 , Sheryle Rogerson  4 , Samir Gupta  5 , Kajsa Bohlin  6 , Morten Breindahl  7 , Afif El-Khuffash  8   9 , Willem P de Boode  10 ; European Special Interest Group ‘Neonatologist Performed Echocardiography’ (NPE)
Collaborators, Affiliations
Review

Education, training, and accreditation of Neonatologist Performed Echocardiography in Europe-framework for practice

Yogen Singh et al. Pediatr Res. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

There is a growing interest worldwide in using echocardiography in the neonatal unit to act as a complement to the clinical assessment of the hemodynamic status of premature and term infants. However, there is a wide variation in how this tool is implemented across many jurisdictions, the level of expertise, including the oversight of this practice. Over the last 5 years, three major expert consensus statements have been published to provide guidance to neonatologists performing echocardiography, with all recommending a structured training program and clinical governance system for quality assurance. Neonatal practice in Europe is very heterogeneous and the proximity of neonatal units to pediatric cardiology centers varies significantly. Currently, there is no overarching governance structure for training and accreditation in Europe. In this paper, we provide a brief description of the current training recommendations across several jurisdictions including Europe, North America, and Australia and describe the steps required to achieve a sustainable governance structure with the responsibility to provide accreditation to neonatologist performed echocardiography in Europe.

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Conflict of interest statement

A.E.K. is in receipt of an Irish Health Research Board Clinical Trials Network Grant (HRB CTN 2014-10) and an EU FP7/2007-2013 grant (agreement no. 260777, The HIP Trial). A.G. owned equity in Neonatal Echo Skills and has received grant support from the American Heart Association. D.V.L. is in receipt of an EU FP7/2007-2013 (agreement no 260777 the HIP trial). E.D. received lecture fees and consulting fees from Chiesi Pharmaceutical. E.N. received grant support from Research Council of Norway and Vestfold Hospital Trust. K.B. received lecture fees from Chiesi Pharmaceutical. M.B. holds a patent, “Thermal shield for the newborn baby”. S.G. received grant support from National Institute of Health Research, Health Technology Assessment (11/92/15), UK. S.R. received lecture fees for Phillips Ultrasound and GE Ultrasound. W.P.B. has received grant support from The Netherlands Organization for Health and Development (ZonMw; grant number 843002622 and 843002608). Z.M. has received lecture fees from Chiesi Pharmaceutical. The remaining authors declared no competing interests.

Comment in

References

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