A critical evaluation of the EU-virtual consultation platform (CPMS) within the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions

Abstract

In 2017, the European Commission installed 24 European Reference Networks (ERN) for different categories of rare and complex conditions to facilitate cross-border health care via virtual case consultations in a secure clinical patient management system (CPMS). The ERN for rare endocrine conditions (Endo-ERN) previously reviewed the CPMS, in which they detailed difficulties physicians encountered with the system and proposed solutions to these that should enable the system to be used to a greater extent. This paper will further the endeavor of the first by performing a critical evaluation of the CPMS, assessing how these suggested improvements have been implemented, and if these have affected the usage of the system. The evaluation involves an assessment of CPMS usage statistics since it’s conception that takes into consideration the technical updates and the external factors that may have affected these, including data from a review survey following a training workshop for our new HCPs added in January 2022. It appears that the improvements made to the system since the first review, in particular the implementation of the Operational Helpdesk (OH), have had a positive effect in increasing CPMS membership, however the regular usage of the system continues to fluctuate. Several suggestions are made on how to further facilitate the use of CPMS by our members both individually and network wide, by integrating CPMS activities with other network initiatives and further integration of these into national healthcare systems as well as looking for ways to measure patient satisfaction from the CPMS discussions outcomes.

European multidisciplinary tumor boards support cross-border networking and increase treatment options for patients with rare gynecological tumors

“…The active usage is, however, still insufficient despite adaptations, mainly due to technical difficulties and lack of time. 29 30 The EURACAN G2 domain actively chose a different virtual meeting format with easily accessible meetings and has seen an increasing number of participants over time. This concurs with previous reports on virtual meeting platforms which demonstrate an increased attendance at multidisciplinary tumor boards by overcoming barriers of distance and lack of time and resources.…”