It is an honour for us to invite you to attend the European Society of General Practice/Family Medicine (ESGP/FM) - WONCA Region Europe Conference June 1 to 4, 2004 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. More than 2000 GPs from all over the world will gather in one of the most beautiful cities of Europe to discuss the implementation of quality improvement in daily practice. This event offers general practitioners the opportunity to improve their clinical performance, communication skills, and practice management and to update their knowledge on the main topics relevant to daily practice.

The theme of WONCA Europe 2004 is "Quality in Practice". We will pay special attention to the most important aspects of quality improvement in general practice. We will offer you a platform to discuss the state of the art in several fields and to debate in 'hotnews sessions' on the latest and most relevant research results and on controversial scientific issues. In interactive poster sessions participants can share their views and experiences. Workshops and symposiums will broaden their horizons. They will get new ideas about quality improvement measures that can be implemented in their own situation. And they can practice their new skills immediately in training sessions.

Every day will have a different subtheme: Day 1 - Clinical performance; Day 2 - Communication skills; and Day 3 - Practice Management . Within the most important clinical areas, attention will be focused on diagnostic features and co-morbidity, ethics, gender, prevention, emergency care, therapy, and interdisciplinary collaboration. In a, we think, exciting mega-manifestation with two thousand colleagues, we will exercise and reflect on doctor-patient communication. Concerning practice management we will focus on leadership and team building, quality systems, work stress, and time-management. All of these issues will be treated together with practising colleagues, scientists, and teachers. Not just plans and ideas, but specific, successful projects and best practices will serve as examples. And last but not least, there will be separate workshops for trainees concerning the relations between improving clinical performance and vocational training. Posters will be discussed in small-group sessions moderated by international key persons in the referring fields. The three outstanding posters will be presented during the 'best-junior-investigator award' session.

The Scientific Programme Committee has carefully prepared this programme with the help of the international advisory board that includes the ESGP/FM network organizations EURACT, EGPRW and EQUIP and other medical topic related European general practice working groups. The Netherlands does have a long-lasting tradition in general practice to show you.

Prof. Wim Stalman Chairman, Scientific Programme Committee Dr Philip R Evans President, Wonca Europe Region, Dr. Ted van Essen President, Dutch College of General Practitioners

It is hardly necessary to promote the charms of Amsterdam. We offer exciting daily excursions and pre and post conference tours by land, by canal and by sea. You will see old and new parts of this beautiful capital city, the canals in the centre with their beautiful merchant's houses, the typical Dutch countryside of polders, canals and windmills and our world-famous fishing villages. You will see our Kröller Müller Museum, world-famous for its large collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh, as well as impressive works by George Seurat, Pablo Picasso, Fernand Léger, Piet Mondriaan, and many others. Even those who already know the city from former visits will probably be surprised by a new art gallery, an unexpected corner, or the atmosphere of a well-known terrace. So, Amsterdam and the Dutch College are expecting you.
We look forward to welcoming you to WONCA Europe 2004 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from June 1 till June 4, 2004!

Dr. Ted van Essen
President, Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG)
Prof. Wim Stalman
Chairman, Scientific Programme Committee
Dr Philip R Evans
President, Wonca Europe Region
http://www.wonca-europe2004.com/