Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+) is working with partners at the Uniklinik Aachen, the Clinique CHC MontLégia and the CHR de la Citadelle in Liège to establish a Euroregional Center for Pediatric Surgery.
Background
Pediatric surgery is a highly specialized field that requires extensive education and training. However, European research has shown that there are relatively few pediatric surgery centers in the Netherlands and Belgium compared to other European countries such as Germany. The Netherlands has a number of large pediatric surgery centers scattered throughout the country, but the southern part of the country lacks such a facility to some extent. In practice, this means that children in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine who need surgery often have to travel far from home and family to receive treatment. Against this background, the partner hospitals are working together to provide high-quality and future-proof pediatric surgical care in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion. Click here for more background information.
Paving the way for a Euroregional Center for Pediatric Surgery
Cross-border cooperation in healthcare is not a given. The partners working together to establish the Euroregional Center for Pediatric Surgery face major challenges. In particular, legal and administrative obstacles pose challenges to formalizing cooperation and recognizing the center as a single institution. Are you curious about the opportunities, challenges and requirements of the Euroregional Center for Pediatric Surgery?
An obstacle from practice: Pediatric surgeons and their professional qualifications
An example of a legal obstacle concerns the qualifications of pediatric surgeons. Indeed, a crucial aspect of the future center is that the pediatric surgeons involved will be able to practice in all three countries where the center is located. The Center also aims to train new pediatric surgeons with a Euroregional mindset. Related questions concern the recognition of pediatric surgery as a medical specialty, practice and registration in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine and opportunities for cross-border training in pediatric surgery. Such issues were the subject of previous research conducted by ITEM on behalf of the MUMC+.
Further research by PREMIUM student team
A variety of other potential obstacles exist in establishing a future-proof center, such as patient mobility and financing and optimization of care. In this context, ITEM and the MUMC+ continued their cooperation: a multidisciplinary student team studied various obstacles facing the Euregional Center for Pediatric Surgery as part of the PREMIUM project.
