NEW EDF STRATEGIC PLAN

As the EDF was formed in 1997, the Board thought it was timely to consider a review of the EDF’s strategic plan, its ongoing objectives and current activities. This process was initiated at the board meeting in June 2022. Having formulated some initial ideas, the Board would like to ask the views, thoughts and perspectives of the EDF membership. Your input will be crucial to enhancing and shaping an updated strategic plan that will place the EDF at the forefront of European dermatology. 

VISION

The EDF strives to promote skin health across Europe and support the highest standards of patient care

MISSION STATEMENT

• The EDF aims to realize its vision by bringing together leading dermatologists, associated colleagues and affiliated organizations
• Promote the highest standards of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases
• Support the scientific basis of clinical practice
• Advance dermatology education and training
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusivity
• Increase awareness and knowledge of skin disease
• Strengthen communication and collaboration across the European community

Advocacy is an activity by an individual or group that aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social institutions.

Lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.

The Board suggests the following changes:

• Alliance with patient's associations
• More active engagement with the European union

To align with the vision and mission statements, the Board suggests the following amendments to the website (https://www.edf.one/en/about-edf) such that the specific aims are listed as:
 

1. To promote the highest possible standards of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases (unchanged but prioritised)
2. To improve knowledge and understanding of the structure and function of skin, the burden and impact of dermato-venereological disease through research so that the medical community, government organisations, healthcare providers, patients and society in general may be better informed (slight amendments)
3. To strengthen and maintain the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate dermatological training (slight amendments)
4. To provide independent advice and facilitate communication between dermatologists and European organisations concerned with improving the quality of skin care including industry, academia, government, patient organisations and society (unchanged).
5. To work with UMES and other European Societies to develop and regularly update a description of the competencies of the dermatology and venereology profession (amended to reflect current situation).

The Board suggest the following:

1. Further support for career development of physician scientists. Over the last years the numbers of dermatologists following a science/research based career path in dermatology has reduced and this is recognized worldwide. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266702672100062X).  
   
   Therefore the EDF in conjunction with our sister societies (specifically the ESDR and the EDF) should:

• build bridges between science and clinical dermatology by incorporating educational programs with scientific based topics;
• further strengthen its educational programs in the field of dermatological research;
• seek to understand the barriers to career advancement of physician scientists which in part may be country specific;
• enhance mentorship programs for physician scientists in dermatology across Europe.

EDF Membership application is open to individuals who are established leaders in dermato-venerology within Europe. The EDF comprises around 200 active members across 30 European countries, all of whom are leaders in the field and include for example heads of department, high-profile research group leaders and leaders of education programs. (https://www.edf.one/en/about-edf/application-for-edf-membership).

The Board suggests the following changes:

• Revised membership application requirements (kindly refer to website https://www.edf.one/en/about-edf/application-for-edf-membership).
• Development of a searchable, electronic Address Book to improve and facilitate networking
• Clearer definition of different Membership Types (Ordinary Member, Board Member, Senior Member and Corporate Member).
• Increasingly consideration to EDI policy including gender, age and geographic locations. 

Driven by the need to provide holistic care for our patients, and recognizing the benefits of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), the EDF affirms its commitment to EDI across all of its activities. This will be reflected in decisions regarding membership of the society, board membership and leadership, development of the annual meeting, choice of speakers, and promotion of EDI principles across clinical care, training, education and research. 

The Board suggests the following:

• Development and adoption of an EDI strategy and appointing an EDI lead.
• EDF publishing a statement in JEADV regarding EDI policy in dermatology to increase awareness.
• EDF incorporating an inclusivity into its vision and mission statements as indicated above in section 1.

The EDF has played a leading role in developing European Clinical Guidelines and has supported The European Centre for Clinical Guidelines which aims at fostering high-quality guidelines through harmonized methodologies that ensure alignment with current gold standards, under a systemized structure and with a continuous update process. Alexander Nast has lead the project so far but will be stepping down as lead in January 2023. (https://guidelines.edf.one/).

The Board supports the following approach:

• Partnering with the EADV to enhance support and sustainability of European Clinical Guidelines.
• Increased investment by the EDF in European Clinical Guidelines over the short term to maintain activity and current projects.

Harmonized European Dermato-Venereology Undergraduate blended LEARNing Implementation and Training. The aim of the project HEDU_LEARN_IT is the harmonization of Medical Undergraduate Training in Dermato-Venereology for Medical Students in Europe, which is based on a joint recommendation (European Harmonization Curriculum Dermato-Venereology). 

(https://www.hedulearnit.org/).

EDF leads the most successful undergraduate online learning tool for dermatology with >20’000 users: Cyberderm. Recently, postgraduate online learning was developed (ERASMUS). 

The Board suggests the following approach:

• Continuous content update: building an editorial working group to continuously update the content in collaboration with Erasmus+.
• Promotion & Financial support - our strategies include:
  • Developing collaborations with an international organization such as ILDS.
  • Developing a business plan to define further value proposition to create new revenue streams: additional sponsorship, course fees for undergraduate courses.
  • Creating a 2nd Edition of the English webbook.

With more than 7’000 website visitors, GENESKIN is considered as contributing to the overall aims and objectives of the EDF. The platform is mainly accessed by patients and medical professionals to find up-to-date information on rare skin diseases. (https://www.geneskin.org/rare-genetic-diseases-of-the-skin).

The Board suggests the following approach:

• Including more pictures (including representation of skin of color), linking to ICD11 and adding missing diseases with regular updates.
• Higher positioning in Google search ranking in order to reach target audience.
• Including clinical trials, specialized centers and patient organizations.
• Active approach with national and international dermatology societies including links to congress sites.

For 18 years the EDF has been organizing the Euroderm Excellence course for residents in dermato-venereology. The intensive course is delivered to a selected 100 final-year dermatology residents, by leading clinical specialists in their field from all across Europe. The aim is to contribute to a high-level of pan-European education in dermatology & venereology and its subspecialties. 

(www.eurodermexcellence.com).

The Board suggests the following approach:

• Harmonizing European education by creating a cooperative link between different specialties and departments. 
• Providing the highest possible educational standard for residents and covering a broad spectrum of dermatological topics.
• Including more practical lectures on how to improve the relationship to Corporate Partners concerning grant submissions and deal with conflict of interest.

The EDF provides this program to better prepare young clinicians and clinician scientists for their upcoming professional life. 20-25 dermatologists who have previously participated in the EDF Euroderm Excellence course are selected each year to join a 1-day teaching course prior to the EDF meeting in January.  (https://www.edf.one/en/edf-advanced-euroderm-excellence-program)

The Board suggests the following changes:

• Train negotiations and soft skills including interacting with industry partners, developing collaborations and obtaining grants.
• Include younger speakers (e.g. alumni) to bring across their expertise and practical experiences.
• Promote longer-term and sustainable participant commitment to the EDF.
• Stronger focus on active own contributions of the participants

The EDF White Book describes in general the burden of skin and sexually transmitted infections within Europe and shows how provision of care and costs vary across the continent.

(https://www.edf.one/en/white-book).

EDF Board suggests that the White Book will be updated in respect to its format and content and suggests the following changes:

• Development of a digital version of the White Book since the hard copy is perceived as too expensive for limited additional utility and not compliant with Green Policy requirements. A digital version would be updated every 3-4 years.
• To better defined target audience and focus on more general content with less “clinical chapters” (as covered in routine text books). 
• In addition, certain chapters could be integrated as regular news feed to be displayed on the EDF webpage.