Unique training program for chronic liver disease screening, conducted by the Fundeni Clinical Institute

The program is implemented by the Fundeni Clinical Institute in partnership with the National Institute of Public Health and the „Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iași.

Training for an extended and updated screening program

The program is designed and implemented by doctors for doctors, aiming to strengthen the training capacity of medical personnel and prepare them for implementing a standardized and updated chronic liver disease screening program. It brings to the forefront modern pathologies that are increasingly common among the population, such as viral hepatitis B/C/D, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and alcoholic liver disease.

The target group includes doctors from various specialties: family medicine, gastroenterology, internal medicine, medical imaging, infectious diseases, oncology, diabetes and nutrition diseases, laboratory medicine, public health, epidemiology, and endocrinology.

Significant progress in physician training

The program aims to train and certify 800 doctors and medical assistants for chronic liver disease screening by August 2027. After six months from its launch, 158 doctors have already been certified, with 79 trained by the „Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iași and another 79 by the Fundeni Clinical Institute.

The University in Iași has prepared specialists from the counties of Iași, Suceava, Botoșani, Neamț, Bacău, and Vaslui, while the Fundeni Institute has trained doctors from Bucharest and the counties of Ilfov, Călărași, Giurgiu, and Ialomița.

Comprehensive training structure

The training program includes both theoretical modules and hands-on practical sessions. Topics covered include liver health, prevention, screening, and early detection of liver diseases, as well as appropriate therapeutic interventions. Doctors are trained in the use of non-invasive methods for staging liver fibrosis, abdominal ultrasound, and rapid tests for detecting viral hepatitis infections. Additionally, the Electronic Screening Registry System is presented, a digital register where patient data included in the program is recorded.

The training program, which started in September 2023, will continue until August 2027. It is co-financed by the European Union through the Health Program, with the objective of improving the quality of preventive services and enhancing primary and outpatient medical care.