Publication Committee Report 2011-12

This report summarises the activities of the Publications Committee 2011 - 12. 

The Publications committee membership is listed below.

The role of the Publications Committee is to further the work of the WFSA by providing appropriate educational materials for anaesthetists working without up-to-date published materials.  The vision is challenging as clinical conditions vary from one country to the next, anaesthesia providers differ in their educational level, multiple languages, modern texts which are almost exclusively written for advanced practice and books that are expensive and not well distributed. 

Update in Anaesthesia is the official CME publication of the WFSA.  It is designed for anaesthetists working in resource poor settings and is edited by Dr Bruce McCormick. 

Each English edition is now translated into Russian, Chinese and Spanish.  We have not managed to achieve French or Arabic editions.  The Spanish edition is published on the internet, English, Chinese and Russian editions are in paper format and on the internet.

The journal is the major expense for the Publications committee as the WFSA pays for publication and postage to areas of the world without good electronic access for readers.   However, it is the only CME that many of our readers receive.  We have moved printing of the English version to Singapore to reduce costs, and reconfirmed the financial efficiency of this arrangement in 2011.  We are currently reviewing the distribution list.

Recently we have published including a double edition dealing with emergencies in anaesthesia.  This was a significant undertaking for the editorial team and has received very positive reviews.  Further larger themed issues are planned in paediatrics and critical care. 

The editorial work continues on a voluntary basis by Bruce McCormick and the translation into Spanish organized by Dr Gustavo Elena.  Contributions are made by the WFSA to help fund the Russian and Chinese editions.

Although the work is economically efficient, there are delays with preparation of editions, which are difficult to resolve without paying for editorial or administrative support.  However since the material will be referred to for many years – quality is more important than timeliness!

The archive is stored on the WFSA website, the functionality of which has improved greatly since the last  report.

Anaesthesia Tutorial of the Week was started in 2005 as an on-line weekly tutorial with a number of UK based editors.  The tutorials provide a wide range of materials for trainees as well as experienced anaesthetists, and are of particular interest for those anaesthetists working in isolation without access to CME. 

The tutorials vary in complexity and are divided into basic science, general anaesthesia, paediatric, obstetric, regional and intensive care topics.  The Tutorials are designed to encourage reflective learning by including questions and self-assessments.  Tutorials are now issued once a week and are currently hosted on the WFSA website, and are also sent out weekly to >2500 anaesthetists by email.  The archive on the website has around 250 tutorials at present containing a wide variety of material useful for the full range of clinical conditions.   Since the system is based on the Internet, it is low cost and flexible, although has limited use where the internet is not available.  The tutorials are read by colleagues all over the world and with this initiative, WFSA and partners are providing education internationally and receiving useful publicity.

At the All Africa Anaesthesia Conference in Kenya 2010, many physician anaesthetists commented on the value of ATOTW in their training, even remarking some of the MCQ’s have appeared in exam questions!

The ATOTW team has always found it difficult to produce enough submissions to meet weekly production.  The quality of submissions has also been a problem meaning that editors may spend a lot of time rewriting submissions.  In 2011the project received major support from the AAGBI by being adopted as their weekly CME, displayed on their website in addition to WFSA.  By becoming a WFSA / AAGBI joint project, we have seen a rise in the number and quality of submissions, interest in editorship and attractive marketing through a major anaesthesia society.  It would be feasible for other national societies to co-brand tutorials in the future.

Book / CD/DVD donation programs continued in collaboration with the AAGBI, which has a major book distribution program.  In total, more than 19,000 books have been sourced for free donation supported by our distribution agent Teaching Aids at Low Cost (TALC). 

By buying in bulk (1000 – 6000 copies) huge reductions in price have been obtained from Oxford University Press in UK and also by publishing some books in India directly.

The books / DVDs that are distributed include:

1.     Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia – Editors Allman and Wilson (purchased at very substantial discount).  This book is ideal for anaesthesiologists and non-medical providers and has proved very popular.  OUP allow us to purchase very economically.

2.     Safe Anaesthesia – Author Jean Lees.  Printed in India and funded by AAGBI.  (Currently being translated into French by Fataou O-BM).  Aimed at non-medical anaesthetists.  Over 1000 distributed.

3.     Obstetric Anaesthesia in Developing Countries – Editors Collis and Clyburn. An Obstetric anaesthesia manual “Anaesthesia for Obstetrics in Developing Countries”  has been edited by Dr Paul Clyburn and colleagues  in UK and was published in April 2010.  This has been jointly funded by the WFSA, AAGBI and Obstetric Anaesthetists Association and 6000 copies printed with relevant logos.

4.     Understanding Paediatric Anaesthesia – Editors Jacob and Cote. Understanding Paediatric Anaesthesia (R Jacob) has been translated into Spanish by a team lead by Gonzalo Barreiro using a generous grant from the American Society Anesthesiologists which provided 1000 copies.  There were major problems getting these books into Argentina in preparation of the World Congress.  This is the first time we have had any difficulties with book importation.  A Chinese edition is aso planned with educational grants from Smile Train and WFSA.

5.     Care of the Critically Ill in the Tropics – Editors Watters, Leaver, Bagshaw and Wilson.  Useful for those setting up basic HDU or ICU care.

6.     Basic Science edition of Update in Anaesthesia.  Edited by McCormick.  This 200 page special edition is effectively a basic science text. (Funded jointly WFSA / AAGBI).

7.     In association with the WFSA Obstetrics committee an Obstetric Anaesthesia educational CDROM has been produced and funded by the WFSA– Editor Howell.  These have been sent to every member society of WFSA and distributed further as requested.

8.     e-Learning.  As a collaboration with the Royal College of Anaesthetists in UK, AAGBI and WFSA a DVD is being prepared with around 80 on line tutorials including videos demonstrating good practice and basic knowledge.  These are aimed at trainee anaesthesiologists and non-medical providers.  WFSA will have access to 10,000 copies of this DVD.

Website. The committee felt that it was essential to improve the functionality of the  WFSA website to provide an adequate archiving system for Update and ATOTW.  Work organized by Peter Kempthorne, Richard Hughes and Bruce MccCormick has improved this.

Thanks.  The Publications Committee would like to thank Ruth for all her support in the office. 

Dr Iain Wilson

Chairman WFSA Publications Committee