Reports of the General Assembly FESSH COPENHAGEN 2018
EWAS GA @ FESSH COPENHAGEN2018
Jan-Ragnar Haugstvedtopens the General Assembly at 12.40.
Gustavo Mantovanimakes his presidential report, underlining the importance of friendship for the EWAS group, a scientific society that is not closed but open, including members from outside Europe. He is proud to have brought wrist arthroscopy courses to Latin America maintaining the same standard as the Strasbourg courses.
Santiago (Chile) now offers a Basic Course and an Advanced Course and in the future will probably include a Master Class and the Barretos (Brazil) course has been a success. The course is driven by the idea to move forward in arthroscopy and investigate how the limits can be pushed forward and work on new techniques: the best brainsall together at the same time with the best equipment and the availability of human specimens is an ideal setting for this to take place in Barretos. Maybe this approach can be applied to the Strasbourg courses.
More and more the “E” for European is becoming the“E” for Entire World.Toshi Nakamurareports on the Journal of Wrist Surgery. He goes through the highlights of its history since it was started in August 2012 and affiliated with EWAS starting from 2013.Submissions have increased over the years reaching a total number of submission until 2017of597. The geographic author spread covers 26 countries, the main contributors being USA, France and Japan.He describes the review process, the submission process and the format of manuscripts, giving practical advice.
Christophe Mathoulin cannot attend the general Assembly but he has sent a letter that is duly read by Jan Haugvstedt. He announced that he would be stepping down as chairman of the Teaching Committee in June 2019. The list of future arthroscopy courses in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Americais outlined, reminding the Assembly of the EWAS COURSE website www.ewascourse.eu and sponsors are remembered, especially Karl STORZ, NewClip Technology, Arthrex, Reg Jointand Wright.
Jane Messina outlines the work done as Chairperson of the Internet Committee in the last 10 years, reminding the Assembly that she has already announced during the EWAS Council Meeting in November 2017 that she will leave her role. She illustrates the main features of the EWAS website, including historical details,the forum and an interesting statistical analysis of the website users.She outlines new options for the future (social networks, etc.) and ends her report underlining the spirit of friendship that characterizes EWAS.Paola Valerio, the EWAS Secretary, outlies the secretarial activity performed on a regular basis, in cooperation with JeanFrançois Pannas, the Technical IT of EWAS. She analyses for 2018 the total of 36 IRCAD Course participants who were offered free EWAS membership for the year 2017and shows that EWAS members who have settled their dues have been increasing over the years.The work done for the JWS is analysed. Nicole Schmelzer-Schmied gives the financial report and confirms that EWAS accountancy has been inspected by EWAS tax consultants Org AG in St. Gallen. Everything has run smoothly.
In 2017 EWAS payed 435,68 Euro for direct taxes.Jan Haugstvedtsuggests to confirm the current membership fee and nobody objects so membership fee for 2019 is confirmed at 75€.
Jan Haugstvedtputs forward the idea of changing the EWAS bylaws because some companies would like cooperation with EWASto be made easier: negotiating with one person would make the process easier.
Max Haerlesuggests that instead of changing the bylaws perhaps an amendment would be enough.It’s time to elect the new EWAS President: the name of Tyson Cobb is put forward, nobody objects and he is confirmed.Vice President: Eva Baur Jane Messina informs that the work she was in charge of as pertains the EWAS website will be taken up by André Gay from Marseille.
Jan Haugstvedt officially thanks Gustavo Mantovani for what he has achieved during his presidency and officially welcomes Tyson Cobb as the new EWAS President.The next GA will be in Berlin during the 2019 IFSSH and FESSH Congress.
Max Haerle makes an invitation to EWAS members to be an active part in the Berlin Congress and informs the Assembly that he is working so that a whole day will be dedicated to arthroscopy and abstracts sent by EWAS members will be grouped together.He asks that interested members submit their abstracts. This will help a lot in the planning process. The abstract deadline will be in September 2018.Luc Van Overstraten introduces Roger Logis, a new EWAS member. Marc Garcia Elias suggests that EWAS might apply to become allied member of IFSSH because this would allow EWAS to get financial support, get more people involved, allow to candidate members to become “Pioneers”: if the bylaws are being changed perhaps EWAS could be expanded.
Jan Haugstvedt acknowledges and says it is something to be discussed at the board Meeting in November, reminding the Assembly that the main goal of EWAS is to teach.Last but not least,Tyson Cobb asks how to encourage more memberships from outside of Europe . EWAS members at present come from 65 different countries. Anext step could be to add IWAS (International Wrist Arthroscopy Society) to EWAS to more accurately reflect the current status of this growing organization. At the end of the GA there was some discussion of the possibility of expanding the scope of the organization to encourage more membership from outside of Europe. EWAS started out as GEAP. Subsequently it was renamed as GEAP/EWAS. EWAS is truly an international organization with members from 65 different countries. Perhaps a next step could be adding IWAS (International Wrist Arthroscopy Society) to EWAS to more accurately reflect the statusof this growing organization.
