EPOS Strategic Plan (2024-2028)

Mission Statement

Our mission is to increase the quality of care of children with orthopaedic conditions. This goal is helped by increasing the communication between professionals dealing with the child, improving the education of those interested in childcare and sharing and diffusing the advances in knowledge.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to advance all aspects of Children’s Orthopaedics, particularly in the fields of clinical practice, scientific research, and education, and to enhance the care of children.

Core Values

• Wellbeing of children with congenital or acquired musculoskeletal disorders and trauma
• Well-trained surgeons with skills and competences
• Science and evidence-based medicine
• Help spread of pediatric orthopaedic knowledge
• Create framework for exchange of ideas and knowledge
• Medical ethics

Goals and Action Plans

• Improve the clinical care of children, education of surgeons and scientific research in pediatric orthopaedics in the EPOS territory under the umbrella of EPOS with the aid of the EPOS members and the national societies
  •       Yearly 2 BAT trilogy courses (March, October) in Vienna, maximum 2-3 BAT advanced courses in certain centers, at least 1 RCCC in or outside the EPOS territory, at least 1 RAC in the EPOS territory
  •       Online education (live webinars, release of recorded lectures and operative technique videos on the website)
  •       Grants to research projects
  •       Multicenter clinical studies and large European research projects
  •       Scholarships for young surgeons to attend the EPOS annual meetings and courses
  •       Travelling fellowship programs with the sister societies; clinical observership programs in the European centers
  •       Increase the collaboration with the national Pediatric Orthopaedic Societies as well as national Orthopaedics and Traumatology societies, EPOS involvement in the national meetings and courses in the EPOS territory
  •       Well defined combined scientific organizations with the sister societies like POSNA, SLAOTI, POSI, APOA, IFPOS, etc.
  •       Provide even and prioritized accessibility for the EPOS members to the EPOS activities
  •       Development of a core curriculum for leading a homogenous Paediatric Orthopaedics training in Europe
  •        Evaluation of the results of the pilot FEPOS program in 4-5 centers; maintenance, improvement and expansion of the program by increasing the number of accredited centers
  •       Maintenance and continuity of JCO
  •       EPOS evidence-based clinical guidelines for the treatment of some common disorders in the EPOS territory
• Increase the visibility of EPOS among the orthopaedic surgeons, related health staff, parents, people, and companies in the world
  •      Support website and social media for particularly reaching young members and potential members
  •      Long-term planning with the industry partners
  •      Encourage particularly the young orthopaedic surgeons, pediatric orthopaedic surgeons, pediatric surgeons who are committed to the EPOS philosophy and activities to be active EPOS members
  •      Encourage the involvement of all countries particularly the biggest European countries in the EPOS activities
  •      Development of humanitarian, social policies for the public
  •      Development of health policies
  •      Useful information for the parents

• Optimize the effectiveness and continuity of the society management by all means
  •      Organization of annual meetings and courses at acceptable profitability
  •      Ensure the financial stability and make future projections
  •      Clear definition of tasks and policies
  •      PR management to expand the source of financial support
  •      Reorganization of the central office if applicable
  •      Development of “rules of conduct”
  •      Definition of the priorities of the strategic planning and realization of the above-mentioned items step by step