title: [Management of a national society of nephrology: looking back on two years' experience as its president].
abstract: Achieving results when leading a scientific society is a slow process and efforts sometimes remain ineffective, while in other cases a desired effect materializes later than expected. The major aim of a two-year program (2010-2012) of the Italian Society of Nephrology (SIN) was to highlight the work of the nephrologist within the healthcare system as well as to the public. An important achievement was the inclusion by the WHO of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among the chronic illnesses that will be the focus of the healthcare system in the next decade. SIN has launched a series of activities to establish a close collaboration with the healthcare system for the prevention and timely treatment of CKD. This will include the compilation of national guidelines for CKD shared with 12 other scientific societies and open to general practitioners, and will pave the way for common protocols with general practitioners. Several large epidemiological surveys have been set up to obtain not only an updated map of CKD in Italy, but also to evaluate the different rates of disease progression in patients followed in specialized centers or general outpatient clinics. The collaboration of SIN with the European Society (ERA-EDTA) has been a major achievement, favoring the subscription of young nephrologists and their contact with young colleagues abroad. In spite of economic difficulties, SIN has given significant support to national research and to fellowships for young researchers. The educational task has included web symposia and long-distance learning facilities. SIN has focused on three projects: early detection of CKD, kidney transplant program improvement, and analysis with healthcare economists of new management models for the distribution of nephrological services.
authors: Rosanna
authors: R
authors: Coppo
mesh_terms: D007558:Italy; D009398:Nephrology; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013997:Time Factors