University Clinical Center in Gdansk, Poland Achieves Accredited Duchenne Center Status

We are thrilled to announce that the University Clinical Center (UCC) in Gdansk, Poland, becomes the first hospital to be recognized as an Accredited Duchenne Center for pediatric care.

We would like to extend our congratulations to the multidisciplinary Duchenne team at UCC. This team is led by Dr. Karolina Śledzińska and Prof. Jolanta Wierzba, for attaining this Accredited Duchenne Center (ADC) status.

An international panel of experts conducted a comprehensive visit to the UCC in Gdansk, Poland:

• Prof. Imelda de Groot, ADC Program Leader
• Dr. Jana Haberlova, ADC Advisory Board member joining as care expert
• Dr. Agneta Golan, ADC Advisory Board member joining as patient representative
• Elizabeth Vroom, Chair of the World Duchenne Organization

ADC Program Visitation

During the visit, the team conducted various interviews with individual members of the applying neuromuscular team. Additionally, they conducted interviews with two pediatric patients and their families. The pre-visitation questionnaires and interviews confirmed that the UCC adheres to international care considerations for pediatric Duchenne care. The accreditation decision is reinforced by positive patient feedback through questionnaires and a commendation letter from the national patient organization. The ADC accreditation status is set to remain valid for the next five years, during which time the care team is invited to attend training and conferences to stay up to date on the care considerations.

The UCC’s accreditation marks the inaugural visitation during the pilot phase of the ADC Program. Other visitations are scheduled to follow suit in the next year.

Prof Imelda de Groot is content with the pilot phase of this international effort to ensure consistent and contemporary care for people living with Duchenne across the globe. “As we approach the conclusion of the pilot phase in early 2024, the ADC Program Team, in collaboration with the ADC Advisory Board and WDO Board, will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.”

Accredited Duchenne Center Poland

Subsequently, Dr. Karolina Śledzińska is delighted with the accomplishment. “We are very impressed by the professional assessment and engagement presented by the ADC Team to ensure that adequate quality of care is maintained in our center. On the other hand, it was a pleasure to discuss ideas on how we can do better for our Polish DMD community. The ADC status gave us satisfaction and strength for further improvements to maintain the DMD care at the highest level. So our DMD boys will have the same possibilities as their peers abroad.”

ADC Program Applications

Meanwhile, the ADC Program continues to welcome applications. We invite Duchenne Centers worldwide to send in an application through the ADC website.

For inquiries, please contact Dr Merel Jansen, program manager at [email protected]