BJD ANNUAL WORLD NETWORK CONFERENCE October 13-14,2007,GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA

1. Hungarian NAN of the BJD • Key projects in 2007 • The National Musculoskeletal Health Program based on the data and recommendations of the BJD has been finalized and consensus conferences have been convened with participation of professional and patient societies. Emphasizing the importance and the burden is a very important task in Hungary, because musculoskeletal health and musculoskeletal medicine are not priorities in the Hungarian Health Program. • One of the main medical activities within the BJD was the continuation of the ECHO project. The ECHO project has been launched last year, and was presented on the NAN conference in Durban, South Africa. This program was developed for registering patients suffering low trauma fractures. The corresponding traumatologists referred the patients to the local OP Centers to confirm diagnosis of OP and start the suitable treatment. Almost 1400 patients have been registered in this project, in Hungary until now. • Under the umbrella of the Hungarian NAN, the National Hip and Knee Joint Prosthesis Register has been developed. • On the web-sites of the member societies, BJD sections have been established. Through these BJD sections all Hungarian professionals and visiting patients can be easily informed about BJD related news. Links to the involved homepages are the following: www.mre.hu; www.ortopedtarsasag.hu; www.osteoporosis.hu; www.reumatologia.hu. Altogether more than 4.000 registered users - mostly healthcare professionals - are available through these web-sites. BJD ANNUAL WORLD NETWORK CONFERENCE October 13-14,2007,GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA Key patients group activities and outcome The Association of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases signed a cooperation agreement with the Hungarian League of Cancer Patients titled “Together against Pain” Based on this agreement three patient-education conferences were organized for rheumatic and cancer patients. The Hung. Society of OP Patients developed their own web-site and continued their Patient Education Program titled: How to avoid fractures? - The Hung. Ass. of RA patients succeeded in winning a grant for helping patients in poor social status, and for financing regular and cost-free group gymnastic for the members. The Hungarian NAN participated in REHA Hungary a two days forum exhibition and fair for the disabled, with different patient education programs. • Key interactions with ISC, other NANs, regional groups, governments • The Hungarian BJD Foundation finished and published the National Program of Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation of musculoskeletal diseases, based on the recommendations of BJD.The Foundation together with the Association of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases, Hungarian Association of RA Patients actively contacted the decision-makers of the Hung. Health Reform and succeeded in preventing some plans negatively influencing the financing of treatment reimbursement of OP and antirheumatic drugs and aids. • Key development plan for 2008 • Continuation of the ECHO program for treatment of patients suffering OP fractures. • We aim to connect the ECHO Project’s database and the National Prosthesis Register, that were functioning independently until now. • We are planning to enhance BJD related electronic medical communications and activities in Hungary. • - Defending the interests of musculoskeletal patients and musculoskeletal medicine in the Hungarian Health Reform. • - Implementation of the National Program.