2008 - Dutch Cochrane Centre - The Cochrane Collaboration

The Dutch Cochrane Centre
OBJECTIVES
THE DUTCH COCHRANE CENTRE - ANNUAL REPORT 2008
Objective 1
To stimulate and support evidence-based medicine activities in the Netherlands to help
professionals and consumers to make well-informed decisions about health care.
Activities
1.1 To support the use of evidence-based medicine in Dutch health care.
1.2 To train medical professionals in evidence-based medicine.
Objective 2
To contribute to The Cochrane Collaboration to support evidence-based medicine.
Activities
2.1 To support and to stimulate the preparation of high quality Cochrane systematic
reviews about health care interventions.
2.2 To contribute to The Cochrane Collaboration and to maintain an adequate
infrastructure for The Dutch Cochrane Centre.
2.3 To identify scientific publications (evidence) about the efficacy of healthcare
interventions.
STAFF MEMBERS
In July, we welcomed René Spijker. René is an information specialist and he joint the DCC
for 0.2 FTE. He also works for the Medical Library of the AMC.
In September, we welcomed Miranda Langendam. Miranda is an epidemiologist. She is
employed for 4 days per week (0.8 FTE) as a senior scientific staff member, leading the
newly established Systematic Review Unit of the DCC.
In December 2008, Phyllis Spuls left the Centre to join the department of Dermatology of
the AMC. We are lucky, however, to still be able to work with her on joint projects.
Lotty Hooft is employed for 0.5 FTE with the Netherlands Trial Register, a project funded by
ZonMw (the Dutch MRC).
Lotty Hooft, Mariska Leeflang, Hans Reitsma and Rob Scholten also work for the Continental
Europe Support Unit (CESU) funded by The Cochrane Collaboration. The aim of CESU is to
help Cochrane Review Groups based on the European continent with the implementation of
Cochrane Diagnostic test accuracy reviews.
The current staff consists of 0.7 FTE administrative staff and (on average) 3.9 FTE scientific
staff (partially employed on external resources).
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