EHA

The European Hematology Association (EHA) aims to promote excellence in clinical practice, research and education in European hematology. EHA was founded in June 1992 and today – with over 3200 members from 100 countries – is a consolidated representative of European hematologists. Board members are elected by the EHA membership and are responsible for the strategy and organization of the Association.

AIM OF EHA

Benefits of EHA membership

• To become the official European representative of hematology and hematologists – especially where research, education and regulatory issues are concerned – and to become a conduit for European harmonization;
• To promote the creation of a highly attractive market for practitioners and researchers in Europe thus fostering the mobility of hematologists in and to Europe;
• To reach out and offer a platform to countries that wish to further develop excellence in hematology;
• To promote education, training and scientific research in hematology in Europe;
• To exchange and disseminate knowledge and scientific information in the field of hematology.

ACTIVITIES OF EHA

EHA ANNUAL CONGRESS

The EHA Annual Congress is organized in a major European city every June. Over the years the congress has become the leading meeting place for hematologists in all fields of this specialty in Europe. The congress program includes sessions on clinical, laboratory, and oncological hematology, as well as hemostasis and transfusion medicine. The topics range from stem cell physiology and development to leukemia, lymphoma, diagnosis and treatment, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelet disorders, hemophilia and myeloma, thrombosis and bleeding disorders, transfusion and stem cell transplantation. The program includes basic and translational science, clinical trials, diagnostic techniques, a major education program and ethical and regulatory issues. Last years congress welcomed over 7.500 participants. This year the Congress celebrates its 15th anniversary.

HAEMATOLOGICA/THE HEMATOLOGY JOURNAL

Haematologica/The Hematology Journal is the scientific journal of EHA. The journal aims to serve the scientific community by stimulating and promoting basic and clinical research on hematological disorders. It publishes editorials, perspectives, research papers, papers on decision-making and problem solving, review articles, brief reports and scientific letters. The current Impact Factor of the journal is 5.978. Haematologica/The Hematology Journal has also developed a monthly CME program for distance learning in clinical hematology.

EHA-ESH SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOPS AND TUTORIALS

EHA and the European School of Haematology (ESH) offer hematologists opportunities for high level continuing education. EHA-ESH Scientific Workshops are intended to promote informal interaction and discussion between scientists and clinicians working in the field. Participants are encouraged to contribute to the workshop by submitting an abstract which may be selected for either a poster or a short oral presentation.

The Tutorials are courses aiming to provide laboratory and clinical hematologists with an integrated diagnostic and clinical work-up of hematological disorders. The program takes the participants through the diagnostic and clinical pathway with plenary lectures, interactively conducted clinical case study sessions and self-assessment sessions.

EHA TRAINING ON-LINE

EHA Training on-line (EHATol) is a distance learning tool designed to provide an easily accessible and constantly updated environment for training, education, and CME for scientists and clinicians involved in the field of hematology. It is an online platform which currently offers clinical cases and an online self-assessment system. More than 4000 users from 60 different countries have already updated their knowledge using the EHATol platform.

EHA PODCASTING

In 2009 EHA has launched a serie of hematology podcasts which can be downloaded from the EHA website. The podcasts cover all aspects of hematology and include interviews with leading clinicians and scientists on breaking developments, summaries of recent and important articles, ‘how I treat’-sections and has a special focus on translational hematology. The podcasts include interviews with leading experts in the areas of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Leukemia and Molecular Hematology, Translational hematology, Transplantation, Hemato-oncology, Red Cells and Transfusion.

EHA HEMATOLOGY CURRICULUM PASSPORT & H-NET

The EHA Hematology Curriculum-Passport is a set of recommendations for a harmonized basic curriculum for the specialty training of hematologists throughout Europe. In 2008, EHA received a three year grant from the European Commission to the H-Net project, a network of European national and international organizations of hematology and education. H-Net will utilize the Curriculum-Passport to determine variations in competences across Europe which will allow individuals, national societies and H-Net itself to target competence gaps. H-Net will also develop the online Hematology Confolio which is unique in its potential to grow into the educational and professional network of hematologists in Europe. In addition, H-Net will facilitate an open discussion between hematologists, educators, and national and European policy decision makers to commit to the harmonization of the European hematology curriculum.

EHA CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

Continuing Medical Education (CME) is widely accepted as a means to encourage individual practitioners in hematology to maintain and develop their professional knowledge and skills. EHA-CME accreditation has been developed to maintain and improve the quality and independence of CME across Europe through a peer-reviewed accreditation process.

EHA CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

• FELLOWSHIPS
  The EHA Research Fellowships are sponsored by EHA and aim at promoting high quality European hematological research by junior basic and clinical researchers in the fields of malignant and non-malignanthematological diseases. Each year the applicant with the highest score is awarded the José Carreras – EHA Young Investigator Fellowship. This fellowship is sponsored through EHA via unrestricted educational grants from the European José Carreras Foundations.
  
  
• TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING IN HEMATOLOGY
  In March 2010, the inaugural course of Translational Research Training in Hematology (TRTH) award program took place. This unique program, which is a new collaboration between EHA and ASH gives junior researchers the tools, mentoring, and access to resources beneficial for a successful career in hematology. The program focuses on translational research, e.g. pathogenesis, diagnostics, and experimental treatment of hematological disorders and includes specific scientific methodology adapted to the needs of the participants as well as more general subjects with relevance for planning and pursuing a research project.

EHA CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

Sponsor contributions are used both to improve current activities of EHA and to launch new development programs. An important example of the latter is the EHA Career Development Program. Another aspect is the extended EHA Education Program with several new courses planned for the coming years.

EHA believes that a creative collaboration between professional organizations and their industrial partners is essential for positive development in any field of medicine. Therefore EHA welcomes further discussions and exchange of ideas.

EHA MEMBERSHIP

• Subscription to Haematologica/ The Hematology Journal, including on-line access
  
• Reduced registration fee for the EHA Annual Congresses
  
• Eligible to the EHA Fellowship Program
  
• Eligible to apply for the EHA-ASH Translational Research Training in Hematology (TRTH) Award
  
• EHA Newsletter
  
• EHA E-bulletin
  
• Access to jobposting section
  
• Access to EHA membership database
  
• Access to webcast sessions of the EHA Annual Congress