ENTOG is closely collaborating with EBCOG in hospital visitations.

What are the objectives of Visiting?

The objectives of Visiting are to improve, assure and assess the quality of specialist training in teaching hospitals throughout Europe. These can be achieved by producing guidelines and promoting Visits for hospital recognition. It should be emphasized that EBCOG Visiting is a voluntary process.

What are the benefits of Visiting?

The introduction of Hospital Visiting in Europe should lead to benefits such as harmonization of training, improvement of both structure and process of training, identification of areas of possible improvement as well as strong points of training and certification to successful institutions. Moreover, it may result in the introduction of uniformity and assessment of training and improvement of services provided by hospitals. It provides opportunities for others to learn from good practices.

What is the focus of the Visit?

The Visit itself lasts for one day and contains an interview with Head of Department and senior staff about the training programme and departmental infrastructure, the trainees, a senior staff member of the departments of Neonatology and Anaesthesiology and a representative of the Board of Directors of the Hospital or the Dean of the Medical Faculty. The latter depending on who is responsible for remuneration etc.

The meeting with the trainees is an important one since it exposes their view on the way they are being trained.

The Visit also includes a short tour of the wards and laboratories. The Visit will be concluded with a summary and preliminary recommendations from the Visitors.

What does the Visiting Report contain?

The Visiting Report contains basic data regarding departmental infrastructure and training programme; the view on training from Head/senior staff, trainees and Dean of Medical Faculty or Director of Hospital; training facilities; and the working relationship with Departments of Neonatology and Anaesthesiology. At the end of the Report conclusions and recommendations are given.

What happens to the Visiting Report?

A draft version of the Report will be sent to the Head of Department for correction of any factual errors. A final Report will be presented to the EBCOG Executive Committee as a confidential document for final judgement.

Depending on the nature of the recommendations, EBCOG accreditation as a training centre for Obstetrics and Gynaecology will be granted for a period of four years or a revisit of the department after one or two years will be advised to the Head of Department. If accreditation is given for the full four year period, an on-paper evaluation will take place at the end of that period with the view of accreditation for a further three years or a site-visit .

Who are the Visitors?

Two senior Gynaecologists familiar with the Visiting process are appointed by the Chair of the EBCOG Standing Committee for Training Recognition (SCTR). A trainee is appointed by the European Network of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ENTOG).