Another dream has come true

EDITORIAL

Another dream has come true

Domingo M. Braile^*

From this edition, the Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery (BJCVS) becomes an old dream into reality and becomes part of a select team of scientific publications to make available on line the Continuing Medical Education system (CME) to its readers.

After months of several tests and exchange of ideas and with the essential support of GN1 - the company that manages our website - we have in this issue the first article with the aforementioned tool available: "The importance of troponin I in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction in the postoperative of coronary artery bypass graft surgery" (p. 11).

The mode of operation is simple: by accessing the site (www.rbccv.org.br) and clicking on icons "Portuguese" or "English" the most recent edition will show up and there will be a number of items marked with an icon with the symbol CME. By clicking on this symbol, a questionnaire with multiple choice questions and answers about the article's content will be opened. After answering it, the system will indicate how many questions were answered correctly (for example 20%). When this occurs, the reader should continue the test, rereading the article and answering again the questions wrongly answered.

The system is proactive, and does not intend to fail anyone, but encourages the reader for further reading of the article and learn from the information contained therein when 100% of the answers are correct within a limited time of one hour divided into increments of 15 minutes.

At this time the reader will have access to the article with the paragraphs - marked in yellow - of which the questions were created, to make sure from where the questions were based on. Then, the reader will be guided to fill out an evaluation about the test's quality and objectivity and only after filling the test the reader will be able to receive the certificate. By accessing the link http://www.rbccv.org.br/emc/Medico/MeuEmc.aspx (MY CME), the candidate could view and print the certificate that will provide him the number of points that such test represents. An email will be sent to the candidate so that he knows he answered the test and his certificate is available for printing. This information will also be available for BSCVS so that these points can be considered for obtaining and renewing the Title of Specialist (still subject to approval). The system itself will have detailed information in order to guide - stepby-step the reader to perform the task.

The questionnaires will be available for the readers for a period of one year to obtain the points. After this period, such points will remain available, but they will not be worth.

From the next editions, in each one some articles will be available and will be identified with a visible mark (CME). The selection of articles with CME will be done by the Editorial Board of BJCVS and the criterion of choice will be within strict scientific principles. Since now, I ask the readers to give suggestions and give criticism, because only this way there will be conditions to improve the CME. The authors of approved articles will be encouraged to prepare questions about the content of their works.

This initiative aims to raise the standard of BJCVS, so that it follows the news of scientific journals. As examples of such news is the creation of the own site, on-line publication of studies in Portuguese and English versions, the indexation in PubMed/ Medline and the establishment of the "Multimedia" section. We are also expecting the response of the Thomsom-ISI to our request for indexation in this important database. All of this was only possible with the support of several directorships of the Brazilian Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (BSCVS) and their members.

In addition to CME, this edition offers great attractions. I recommend a careful reading on the cardiovascular surgeon Vincent Gaudani's article entitled "Process improvement: the Sorcerer and the Sorcerer's apprentice" on page 1. Originally published in the CTSNet website, this exciting text makes a brief reflection - but deep - on the use of Guidelines by cardiac surgeons.

Gaudani based on the ancient fable of the sorcerer and the sorcerer's apprentice, of Germanic origin and brilliantly adapted to the cinema in cartoon by Walt Disney ("Fantasy"). Briefly, he proposes that when standardizing treatments based on results of randomized controlled studies, physicians act as the greatest of the "witches", providing the most extraordinary results, or that is: the science.

On the other hand, when the treatment is based on guidelines that are assumptions of experts without the benefit of well-tested hypotheses, it acts as the "sorcerer's apprentice", or that is: the professionals and the treatment of those we serve are damaged.

The subject is controversial. We know that Science does not progress linearly, but in cycles and unfortunately it is not pure, however, undergoes a series of influences. It is up to those who actually want to act according the best ethical precepts, to attempt to achieve the results that benefit those who produce such results and those who benefits from such findings (in the case, physicians and patients).

I chose to leave the Gaudani's text in English to keep its essence, but those who have an average knowledge of the language will read it without great difficulty and certainly will take advantage of it.

Also, in this edition we published on page 100, the news that Dr. Tomas Salerno received in the United States, the prestigious 2009 Robert Zeppa, M.D. Award of Excellence of the University of Miami, which should make all Brazilian cardiovascular surgeons very proud.

Once again the BJCVS website provides the video of a surgical procedure, which is entitled "Technical Option for Redirection of Flow in the Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Veins Connection" (http://www.rbccv.org.br/video/Conexao_Anomala). The written report is on page 92. I emphasize once more that the colleagues who have interest to disclose at our journal interesting procedures recorded on video can contact us.

I communicate that in January was deposited the editorial support from CNPq for 2008 to be used in 2009. The value is equal to the last year, thirty five thousand reais (R$35.000,00) and, as in previous occasions, it will be used for expenditure on printing, publishing and site maintenance. Concluding this editorial I welcome the new Board of BSCVS, headed by PhD Gilberto Barbosa, who will continue the work of previous administrations and will spare no efforts to defend the interests of the Brazilian cardiovascular surgeons.

Have a good reading with my warmest regards,

*

BJCVS - Editor

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  03 June 2009
• Date of issue
  Mar 2009