Newsletter: December 2014

Me quedé impresionado al saber que los médicos generales finlandeses no solo mantienen todos sus registros médicos en los ordenadores, sino que también tienen acceso pleno al hospital y a los registros electrónicos de otros médicos especialistas, con los resultados de radiología y patología ordenados en cualquier parte del país. Este es un logro que queda fuera del alcance de muchos otros países desarrollados

I was impressed to learn that Finnish general practitioners not only keep all their own medical records on computers but they also have access to full hospital and specialist electronic records and to radiology and pathology results ordered anywhere in the country. This is an achievement which remains beyond the reach of many other developed nations.

The CEO has been in Rio checking on preparations for the world conference and council meeting being held in 2016. Dates for various associated meetings have been announced and he is clearly excited: "Rio really is a fantastic city, with many beaches right in the heart of the city. The conference itself is planned for Rio Centro, an excellent congress centre on a really lovely campus, close to what will become the Olympic village for the 2016 Olympics."

Dr Debbie Hipps is a young British doctor who recently took sabbatical leave and undertook volunteer work in primary care in remote Argentina. Read more about her experiences.

WONCA CEO, Dr Garth Manning has announced WONCA's first ever Annual Report covering the period July 2013 to June 2014 - produced to keep our Member Organizations, Organizations in Collaborative Relationship, Direct Members, and other interested organizations and individuals informed of the progress of WONCA, between World Council meetings.

Chloe writes from Malaysia - Now is the next chapter of the trip : sharing primary care experiences in Asia through articles in WONCA’s news and thanks to mini Family Medicine 360 exchanges during the coming year.

In the Pledge on Workers’ Health (made by WONCA and the International Commission on Occupational Health, both organisations state their intent to start addressing, together with the WHO, “gaps in services, research and policies for the health and safety of workers, and better integrate occupational health in primary care settings, to the benefit of all workers and their families.”

WONCA's response to the public consultation to inform the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health

WONCA East Mediterranean Region president, Dr Mohammed Tarawneh, was invited to participate in the 61st session of the WHO regional committee for the WHO East Mediterranean region (EMRO) which was held in Tunis from 19-22 October 2014.

WONCA wishes the worldwide WONCA family a Happy New Year and best wishes for a safe and prosperous 2015. This is a great year to join the WONCA family at a WONCA conference, somewhere near you.

Dr John Wynn-Jones, Chair of WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice, sends seasons greetings and updates us on the preparations for the coming WONCA World rural health conference.

EGPRN welcomes posters, oral presentations and one-slide/five minutes’ presentations on the theme of the meeting, or on any other relevant research topic. The theme of this meeting will be: “Research into new Methods and Techniques in Primary Care”.

The Croatian Coordination of Family Physicians as the organizer of the 13th World Rural Health Conference has announced five scholarships (accommodation and registration fee) for the conference.

Tanja Pekez- Pavlisko is this month's author of rural round-up. Tanja is president of the Organising Committee of the coming WONCA World Rural Health conference being held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in April. Here she reflects on the rich history of Dubrovnik and medicine.

This important conference taking place in Lille France from April 28-30, 2015 and has already attracted a great deal of global interest.

Dr John Wynn-Jones, from Wales, writes about the outputs of the previous two world rural health conferences and invites you to Dubrovnik in 2015

Fragmentos de política de Diciembre de 2014, por Amanda Howe: Las evidencias de avances increíbles por parte de las organizaciones miembro de WONCA se equilibran a menudo con decepciones: no hay suficientes residentes de medicina familiar en la formación, hay falta de compromiso por parte de los gobiernos, problemas de reembolso financiero ....

This month's Policy Bite with Amanda Howe - Evidence of amazing gains by WONCA member organisations are often offset by disappointments – not enough family medicine residents in training; lack of commitment from governments; problems of financial reimbursement; perceptions that we are less respected than other specialists; and constant political change and challenge.

Dr John Wynn-Jones, Chair of WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice, sends seasons greetings and updates us on the preparations for the coming WONCA World rural health conference.

Tanja Pekez- Pavlisko is this month's author of rural round-up. Tanja is president of the Organising Committee of the coming WONCA World Rural Health conference being held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in April. Here she reflects on the rich history of Dubrovnik and medicine.

This important conference taking place in Lille France from April 28-30, 2015 and has already attracted a great deal of global interest.

Dr John Wynn-Jones, from Wales, writes about the outputs of the previous two world rural health conferences and invites you to Dubrovnik in 2015

WONCA President Prof Michael Kidd sent a video address to PRIDoC 2014 (Pacific Rim Indigenous Doctors conference) held in Hualien, Taiwan. Prof Kidd talk about the importance of the work that WONCA is doing in the indigenous and minority groups health issues .

Fall is a busy time for the North American Region of WONCA. The American Academy of Family Medicine held its Congress and Assembly in October and in November the College of Family Physicians of Canada held its board meeting, Scientific Assembly, and Besrour Conference in Quebec City.

WONCA East Mediterranean Region president, Dr Mohammed Tarawneh, was invited to participate in the 61st session of the WHO regional committee for the WHO East Mediterranean region (EMRO) which was held in Tunis from 19-22 October 2014.

After two days full of different kind of emotions (happiness for the results, tiredness for the effort), I write you to say thanks for the support, in the name of all of members of the Family Medicine Association of El Salvador (AMEFAES)... Your speech caused a big impact on the audience: it was the best way to open our Congress.

These resources were added to the WONCA website in November 2014. Why not take a look at the many other resources on the WONCA website by going to the Resources homepage.