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Our Background & Strategic Partner
IGEH/INRO was founded in 1999 by a group of Europeans and Americans dedicated
to improving patient outcome from neurotrauma. They came together after working
to improve neurotrauma care in hospitals in central/eastern Europe and former
Soviet Union countries. The success of this project inspired them to form a
European based NGO to better involve local physicians and health care professionals
and to seek support from European sources of funding to continue and expand
their work.
Since our founding in 1999, IGEH/INRO has:
- Managed an International Health Care Initiative: Improving Patient Outcome
from Head Injury in Central and Eastern Europe (1999 - 2001);
- Developed a database to collect data to track performance of hospital
teams and patients' health outcomes and have it used in hospitals of 3 countries;
- Initiated the Austrian Traumatic Brain Injury Project (In memory of Alfred
von Auersperg);
- Received a grant from EU 5th Framework Program on Reducing mortality and
long-term disability of TBI victims through research into treatment procedures
used in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Croatia;
- Developed a network of collaborating institutions from many countries
of Europe;
- Presented results at international and national conferences and journals;
- Tutored young scientist from Croatia during his fellowship in Austria
- Received a grant from British Council for exchange of scientists
- Prepared a proposal for EU COST activity (European Cooperation in the
field of Scientific and Technical Research)
- Took a part in developing proposals for EU supportive and implementation
programs in Bosnia, Uzbekistan as well as submitted an Expression of Interest
to join project : HU0011-01-01 Short-term professional training in epidemiology,
Hungary and similar one in Romania.
Our Future Plans
In late 2001 some of the American founders of IGEH/INRO saw an opportunity to
enhance and expand our success. They formed a non-profit organization in the
U.S. to complement and strengthen the work of IGEH/INRO, especially with clinical
research, our patient database and funding support.
This new organization, the
NeuroTrauma Foundation (NTF) , based
in New York City, has a number of common directors with our board. NTF has also
established a Scientific Advisory Board to help guide and advise it with clinical
research issues and collaborative opportunities with IGEH/INRO. A number of
expansion opportunities lies before us as a result of this newly formed collaboration.
NTF is the owner of a significant set of evidence-based guidelines, Management
and Prognosis of Penetrating Brain Injury, and is developing a novel interactive
program to enhance our patient database. NTF is also working with us on a number
of promising and exciting funding opportunities for international projects.
These will give rise to significant clinical research opportunities for us and
our participating physicians and affiliated hospitals.
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