What has changed since your society became an ECCO Country Member?

We have adopted the administrative structural and functional example of ECCO for our IBD society.

Young Romanian gastroenterologists have become better acquainted with European IBD guidelines, as well as with their European fellows, as a result of the ECCO Workshops and Meetings

What are the benefits to you of being an ECCO Country Member?

Most of our members participate at the ECCO Meetings and are in close contact with ECCO News, ECCO Guidelines, etc.

We have improved our knowledge and awareness in multiple IBD-related domains: epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of our patients.

We have published more papers in the field of IBD, based on our experience and national data.

In clinical practice, being an ECCO Member has facilitated the cooperation and consultation between Romanian doctors and their European colleagues when managing difficult IBD cases.

Is your society making use of the ECCO Guidelines?

Yes. We tried to translate ECCO Guidelines but taking into account the very frequent updates, new guidelines and the fact that most Romanian doctors are fluent in English, this is no longer a priority right now.

The current IBD medical practice is guided by the ECCO Guidelines.

Have you developed research projects with other countries through your ECCO Country Membership?

Not yet

Have you developed educational activities with other countries through your ECCO Country Membership?

Yes, especially with France. A Franco-Romanian meeting on IBD is held in Romania every year.

Has your country been involved in a fellow exchange through your ECCO Country Membership?

Short term fellowships. Many young Romanian Gastroenterologists have participated at the ECCO pre-Congress Courses each year.

What are your main areas of research interest?

Modern diagnostic tools, including non-invasive methods to diagnose and monitor disease activity; novel treatments; epidemiological research; quality of life of IBD patients; nutrition and IBD

Does your centre or country have a common IBD database or bio bank?

Yes we have a national database (IBDPROSPECT). Our bio bank is no longer functional due to lack of continuous funding.

What are your most prestigious/interesting past and ongoing projects?

IBDPROSPECT national database

Publication of our research based on IBDPROSPECT data

National meetings held twice a year (at the National Symposium of IBD and the National Congress of Gastroenterology and Hepatology)

Biannual teaching meetings for trainees in IBD

Regular meetings of the Governing board of RCCC and of a structure named Leading Changes in IBD

Establishing four IBD patient-dedicated centres in Romania (in Bucharest, Timisoara, Constanta and Cluj) and encouraging the development of four other structures in Iasi, Targu Mures, Craiova and Oradea.

Financial and institutional support for the IBD Patients’ Association (ASPIIR)

Web meetings of the Governing Board and Leading Changes in IBD group during the Covid-19 crisis, aiming to develop six sessions of the “10 Commandments” for doctors and IBD patients in the pandemic conditions. Then we had nine regional webinars to spread knowledge and gather information from the doctors and patients. All this was achieved in about 5 weeks.

Which ECCO Projects/Activities is the group currently involved in?

Epicom

Validation of Leman Score (Adrian Goldis)

Three ECCO Workshops in Romania in the past 10 years

What are your aims for the future?

To ensure that the IBDPROSPECT thrives and becomes a real national database

To further develop institutional relationships with ECCO

To organise another ECCO Workshop in Romania in the near future

To support the community of young gastroenterologists with an interest in IBD

To improve clinical research

How do you see ECCO helping you to fulfil these aims?

By sending ECCO Experts to help us inform our members about the ECCO Guidelines and also the structural and functional experience of ECCO as an organisation

By participating in ECCO Meetings

By supporting and organising fellow exchange through ECCO

What do you use ECCO for? Network? Congress? How do you use the things/services that ECCO has to offer?

Congresses

Network

Educational and financial support for young gastroenterologists