title: Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society: building an international paediatric electrophysiology organisation.
abstract: The Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES) is a non-profit organisation comprised of individuals dedicated to improving the care of children and young adults with cardiac rhythm disturbances. Although PACES is a predominantly North American-centric organisation, international members have been a part of PACES for the last two decades. This year, PACES expanded its North American framework into a broadly expansive international role. On 12 May, 2015, paediatric electrophysiology leaders from within the United States of America and Canada met with over 30 international paediatric electrophysiologists from 17 countries and five continents discussing measures to (1) expand PACES' global vision, (2) address ongoing challenges such as limited resource allocation that may be present in developing countries, (3) expand PACES' governance to include international representation, (4) promote joint international sessions at future paediatric EP meetings, and (5) facilitate a global multi-centre research consortium. This meeting marked the inception of a formal international collaborative spirit in PACES. This editorial addresses some solutions to breakdown the continental silos paediatric electrophysiologists have practiced within; however, there remain ongoing limitations, and future discussions will be needed to continue to move the PACES global international vision forward.
authors.affiliation: 1Heart Center Phoenix Children's Hospital and University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix,Phoenix,Arizona,United States of America.
authors.forename: Mitchell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Pediatric Cardiology,British Columbia Children's Hospital,Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada.
authors.forename: Shubhayan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanatani
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Pediatrics,University of Toronto,Labatt Family Heart Centre,The Hospital for Sick Children,Toronto,Ontario,Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: 4Starship Children's Hospital,Child and Health Auckland University,Auckland,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.affiliation: 5Pediatric Arrhythmias Complex Unit,Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiosurgery Department,Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital,Rome,Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Drago
authors.affiliation: 6Royal Children's Hospital,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: 7Children's Heart Centre,Motol Children's Hospital,Prague,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janousek
authors.affiliation: 8Evelina Children's Hospital and Guy's and St. Thomas NHS' Trust,London,United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: 9Arrhythmia Center Children's Hospital Colorado,Denver,Colorado,United States of America.
authors.forename: Kathryn K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: 10Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School,Boston,Massachusetts,United States of America.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Triedman
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D002170:Canada; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000639:trends*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000639:trends*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States
keywords: Electrophysiology; international collaboration; paediatrics