Dear Colleagues,
As President of the second generation succeeding the founders of our society, I would like to say that we have now reached maturity. Maturity means that the daily functioning of the BACTS runs smoothly but it does not mean that all problems in the cardiothoracic field are yet solved. Old challenges are still present and moreover, new challenges have appeared. Today, small groups of very active members have taken in charge some issues for the benefit of everyone.
Professional protection, economic and ethical choices, scientific improvements, quality control, or educational programs are, among other topics, the concerns of today and will stay the matter of concerns for the ensuing years. Despite good will and numerous meetings, the Board didn't find yet a solution for every problem. However, in our Society, progresses have already been obtained due to better communication and better solidarity. But this is not enough. We still need the participation of everybody.
For example, our database is only strong enough if everybody takes part in this essential tool. It is mandatory that this database represents 100% of the activities in Belgium to have a strong scientific weapon when facing and discussing issues with the Ministry of Health. I know that it requires efforts, costs and time but I would ask you, once more, to help the database committee in his task. If someone would be willing to participate more actively, I am sure that, after the agreement of the Board, he would be involved in this committee. The society needs all the competencies. Moreover, I personally think that it is now time to develop a similar tool for thoracic surgery. Indeed, in thoracic surgery, all the discussions about the proposal on a structure in General Thoracic Surgery could not succeed if nobody knows exactly what we do today.
When talking about Thoracic surgery, I should insist that this field must be more actively present in our Society. Our Society is a cardiothoracic society and it must remain as such, that is cardiothoracic. There are active representatives of thoracic surgery in the Board. However, global thoracic surgery must be more present. For example, it was a disappointment for me and for the scientific committee to see that so few abstracts on thoracic surgery were submitted for this congress. Even if there is less thoracic activity in our country in term of procedures, it must be a strong group in our society and not only an appendage of cardiac surgery. I would like to plea for a more active participation of the members involved in thoracic surgery.
During the various meetings of the Board, last year, many discussions took place, like the scientific participation to the Belgian surgical week and to symposium of the Princess Lilian Foundation. Both participations were successful and represented very well our society.
At the same time, the Board has discussed guidelines in ethics and in communication with the media. Ofcourse, none of the members can be forced to obey to those guidelines but the goal is to keep serenity and peace amongst cardiothoracic surgeons in Belgium. We must stay together; it is a question of survival for our profession. We must avoid outbidding tactics which lead us in competition as this will be deleterious to everybody. Those rules represent what the Board thinks to be a "modus vivendi". You will receive the document with the guidelines in the next BACTS mailing.
Before concluding, I would like to say just a few words about the "college of cardiac pathology". I hope that the Ministry of Health will soon appoint and publish the names of the members in this college before I will retire. I don't know why, but the college is still waiting to start working. At the same time, the administration at the ministry already asked for some conclusions of the activities of the college! This ofcourse is impossible to understand.
In conclusion, I would say that during the past year and with the help of every single member in the various Committees, our Association did a lot of work, but ahead, there is still a lot of work to be done and we do need the participation of everyone to achieve our common goals.
Brussels, 15 Nov 2003