Setting up an IFMBE strategy

During the Administrative Council (AC) Meeting in Okayama, 16-17 February 1997, it was decided that the AC should make an effort to formulate a strategy plan for IFMBE. An initial version to form a basis of further elaboration was quickly produced. A meeting was planned for Helsinki in June 1997, but unfortunately, it had to be cancelled. It was then proposed to develop this strategic plan by email and devote a day to it in the AC Meeting prior to Nice. However, time did not allow this.

Nevertheless, thanks to the contributions and efforts of Dov Jaron, Mladen Poluta and Niilo Saranummi and inputs by Peter Rolfe and Helmut Hutten, a draft text has been produced and now needs to be discussed and ventilated.

The AC invites members of the IFMBE to provide criticism, suggestions on priorities or comments to the text that is enclosed. The plan will be on the agenda of the next AC meeting which takes place in Seoul, September 1999 (in connection with the regional IFMBE conference).

As your President, I feel directly concerned by all these questions and problems which, in short, boil down to a quest for an identity. As a Federation, who are we, what do we do, where are we going, and what purpose do we serve… or what might our future purpose be? If we are not to lose our identity, I think that it is extremely important, not to say vital, that we should define our vision, our goals, our projects, finally our strategy. But, as always, this is a problem of individuals being prepared to make sacrifices for the benefit of the community, to put a lot into and take the time to assume responsibility for our actions. We must be realistic in our ambitions and not simply draw up a list of pious hopes that will never be fulfilled. It is up to you to help us to have a strategy.

Jean-Pierre Morucci

IFMBE President

Email: Jean-Pierre.Morucci@purpan.inserm.fr