Services offered by the
Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Training - Research - Technology development - Website - Health promotion through the media - Short training courses

The Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research (GFMER), a WHO collaborating centre, offers services in different domains related to health. Experts from Geneva and international collaborators provide the necessary know-how in the areas described below. GFMER can draw on the support of a well established worldwide network, which includes international organisations (WHO, UNFPA), academic institutions (GFMER international collaborations, FGFRM collaborations internationales), and scientific organisations hosted at the Foundation (International Association for Maternal and Neonatal Health, San Raffaele del Monte Tabor Foundation, European Group of Robotic Urology, FValse - Franco Vietnamese Association for Liver Studies and Education, Fondation Luc Montagnier, International Center for Limb Salvage, ZimHealth / Zimbabwe Network for Health - Europe).

Training

GFMER is experienced in conducting short, long and distance training courses as well as conferences in different health related areas.
The activities include:

• development of scientific programmes in collaboration with experts in the appropriate fields (short training courses, long training courses, workshops)

• preparation of course curricula with lecture materials available online (lecture plan)

• hosting of interactive courses by using modern internet technology, such as video conferencing and e-learning methods, and organisation of distance training (training network for research in reproductive health)

• individual tutoring of course participants tailored to their needs

• provision of assistance for the organisation of training in health care (hepatitis, laparoscopy, obstetrical fistula)

• provision of experts to conduct workshops and scientific presentations in different areas of health and in different languages (GFMER members / membres de la FGFRM)

• dealing with all organisational and administrative matters around the course/conference organisation

Research

GFMER in collaboration with its international network of scientists has the know-how on research implementation, synthesis and management.  Its staff and members have years of experience in conducting and implementing clinical research at all levels.
Our spectrum comprises all aspects of clinical research and we offer assistance and services listed below.

Research implementation

In the context of its International Research Network, GFMER is conducting low-cost research with immediate implementation of research results at country level and offer the following services:

• Multicentre randomized controlled trials

• Large scale epidemiological studies

• Health service research evaluation

• Protocol implementation and routine monitoring by site-visits and weekly video-conferences

• On-line data management of all projects

• Electronic and data quality supervision

• Data analysis and statistical advise at all levels

• Data interpretation and write-up

• Reports and publications at all levels

• Organization of steering committees, data monitoring committees, and independent ethical reviews

Research synthesis (systematic reviews) and scientific publication

Science is cumulative. Systematic reviews of the literature are essential to justify any prospective investigation and to guide policy and practice. Research synthesis is essential for summarizing the evidence for the effectiveness of health care interventions, the association of risk factors with a certain outcome, the validity of biological testing and other epidemiological studies such as prevalence/incidence of disease.

GFMER and local and international partners have the capacity to conduct systematic reviews of research evidence.  GFMER and its members have many years of experience in performing systematic reviews and writing up of scientific research resulting in numerous publications in international journals. 

We can assist and provide the following services:

• development of the review protocol and the appropriate search strategy

• critically appraising research reports

• application of the relevant statistical methods

• synthesis of  the results and displays of summary analysis

• preparation of the manuscript for publication

Further, we offer training by conducting workshops on:

• critical appraisal of the literature

• update on current evidence in health and health research

• writing up of medical reports

GFMER hosts the editorial seat of the online, peer reviewed, open-access, Medline-indexed journal, called Reproductive Health. The journal serves as a platform for scientists from all parts of the world to publish and freely access up-to-date information in the field of reproductive health.

Research management - Internet based data entry

GFMER is a hosting provider for online data collection, viewing, and statistical review for medical data. Clinical investigators with a need to have data entered from one or more geographically distributed sites may use our services to collect, manage and overview their data. Although the service is primarily focused on multi-centric collaborative clinical trials, it can be applied more generally.

GFMER brings expertise to the four important stages to creating a successful service for the individual clients.

• Stage1: Identification of the data to be collected, and limitations on data entry to ensure the database is 'clean' of inconsistencies due to human error.

• Stage2: Creation of a mono-form or multi-form graphical user interface that may or may not exactly model a paper version of the data-collection forms.

• Stage3: Collaborative testing with the client on fictional data.

• Stage4: The actual data-entry period (which may last over a period of several years).

Access to the database is secure, and trace-audited. Individual user accounts may be managed according to varying authority mechanisms (including levels, administrations, and groups). Online support is provided where needed. Evolution of services (new needs required by the client) is offered where appropriate.

Technology development

GFMER has recently focused its attention on healthcare technology development. Related fields of interest are robotic surgery (European Group of Robotic Urology), assisted reproductive techniques (Biologie de la Reproduction - Andrologie, Procréation médicalement assistée), and dynamic angiothermography.

Website

The aim of the GFMER website is to provide relevant, selected and freely accessible information on health. The website receives currently about 15000 visits per day. Several services are offered by GFMER:

• Design, development and maintenance of health-related websites

• Publishing of original texts (Publications, presentations, Publications, présentations)

• Documents related to individuals and their institutions (Partners)

• Dissemination of information on Internet for public and private partners

• Links to free accessible documents (Developmental and genetic diseases, Free medical journals, Guidelines, Medical schools, Selected medical images, Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine)

Health promotion through the media

GFMER has a pool of international experts in different disciplines with a longstanding experience in health promotion through the media (television, radio, newspapers, Internet).

For further information contact:

Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Villa Grand-Montfleury
Chemin du Grand-Montfleury 48
1290 Versoix - Switzerland

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Edited by Aldo Campana,