title: Definition, aims, and implementation of GA(2) LEN Urticaria Centers of Reference and Excellence.
abstract: GA²LEN, the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, has recently launched a program for the development, interaction, and accreditation of centers of reference and excellence in special areas of allergy embedded in its overall quality management of allergy centers of excellence. The first area chosen is urticaria. Urticaria is a common and debilitating condition and can be a challenge for both patients and treating physicians, especially when chronic. Centers of reference and excellence in urticaria (UCAREs) can help to improve the management of hard-to-treat conditions such as urticaria.
  
  
  
  Here, we describe the aims, the requirements and deliverables, the application process, and the audit and accreditation protocol for GA²LEN UCAREs.
  
  
  
  The main aims of GA²LEN UCAREs are to provide excellence in urticaria management, to increase the knowledge of urticaria by research and education, and to promote the awareness of urticaria by advocacy activities. To become a certified GA²LEN UCARE, urticaria centers have to apply and fulfill 32 requirements, defined by specific deliverables that are assessed during an audit visit.
  
  
  
  The GA²LEN UCARE program will result in a strong network of urticaria specialists, promote urticaria research, and harmonize and improve urticaria management globally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy Center, Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bindslev-Jensen
authors.affiliation: University Hospital, Montpellier, France.|VIMA: Ageing and Chronic Diseases, Epidemiological and Public Health Approaches, INSERM, Paris, France.|UVSQ, UMR-S 1168, Université Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.affiliation: IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Church
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, D.Y. Patil School of Medicine, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, India.
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authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Godse
authors.affiliation: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Grattan
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hide
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kocatürk
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magerl
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meshkova
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.affiliation: Division Allergy and Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, The Technion, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toubi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Peking University, First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zuberbier
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, IMIM, Universitat Autònoma, Barcelona, Spain.
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authors.lastname: Gimenez-Arnau
mesh_terms: D003133:Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D019468:Disease Management; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D012106:Research; D014581:Urticaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: angioedema; center; excellence; management; urticaria