Third European Reference Networks conference took place in Vilnius on 9 – 10 March, 2017. It was dedicated to present recently established European Reference Networks aimed at improving patient care. European Reference Networks activities, laws defining such activities and integration of the networks into national healthcare systems were discussed. The conference was attended by physicians, politicians, members of European Reference Networks, representatives of patient associations and European Union.

 

Children’s Hospital’s Coordinating Centre for Children’s Rare Diseases team are glad that Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos competence centers were accepted as true members in eight European Reference Center Networks:

ERN ITHACA: area – rare developmental defects and intellectual disability; Lithuanian representative – prof. A Utkus
MetabERN: area – inherited metabolic disorders; Lithuanian representative – prof. A Utkus
ERN-RND: area – rare neurologic diseases; Lithuanian representative – prof. A Utkus
ERKNet: area – rare kidney diseases; Lithuanian representative – prof. A. Jankauskienė
ERN EuroBloodNet: area – rare hematologic diseases; Lithuanian representative – prof. L. Griškevičius
ERN eUROGEN: area – rare urogenital diseases; Lithuanian representative – assoc. prof. G. Verkauskas
ERN PaedCan: area – pediatric oncology; Lithuanian representative – dr. J. Rascon
TRANSPLANTCHILD: area – pediatric transplantology; Lithuanian representative – dr. J. Rascon

 

Physicians of Children’s Hospital competence centers together with adult specialists participate in kidney diseases (ERKNet), hematologic diseases (EuroBloodNet), urogenital diseases (eUROGEN), metabolic diseases (MetabERN) reference networks. They also represent Lithuania in pediatric oncology (ERN PaedCan) and pediatric transplantology (ERN TRANSPLANT-CHILD) networks.

 

Conference was attended by head of Coordinating Centre for Children’s Rare Diseases assoc. prof. Rimantė Čerkauskienė, head of Pediatrics Centre prof. Augustina Jankauskienė, head of pediatric oncohematology department dr. Jelena Rascon, head of Pediatric Department dr. Skirmantė Rusonienė, head of Pediatric Urology Department dr. Gintas Pošiūnas, senior physician of Pediatric Oncohematology Department dr. Sonata Šaulytė-Trakymienė, Coordinating Centre for Children’s Rare Diseases doctor Dovilė Jonuškaitė.