Mission, objectives and operation
Mission
Objectives
More specifically, by fulfilling its mission EMGO+ is aiming to contribute to improving evidence-based:
- public and occupational health;
- primary health care;
- mental health care;
- rehabilitation practice;
- long-term health and health care.
In these fields the institute aims to contribute to:
- strengthening the evidence-base for current ongoing practices;
- innovation of practice;
- innovation of relevant research methodology;
- provide input and direction for education and training for researchers and practitioners.
Our aim is thus to perform translational and trans-disciplinary research of both high scientific quality and societal relevance. Research projects carried out at EMGO+ mainly have health outcomes or health determinants as primary endpoints of interest. The research is embedded in four research programs that link to main burdens of disease in the Netherlands, as well as internationally:
1. Lifestyle, Overweight and Diabetes (LOD)
4. Musculoskeletal Health (MSH)
EMGO+ focuses on applied and strategic research involving issues that are relevant for public and occupational health, mental health, primary care, rehabilitation, and long-term care. Many studies are either executed within large population-based cohorts or in public health and extramural medical practice settings, such as general practices, nursing homes, in specialized mental health care organizations, homes for the elderly, schools, worksites, occupational health care settings and in outpatient services. These latter studies are often conducted within so-called Academic Collaborative Centers, i.e. formal collaborations between EMGO+ and practice settings to conduct practice-based research of strong methodological rigor, in order to promote and enable evidence-based practice. Such studies include observational research and intervention studies.
Operation
EMGO+ is one of five research institutes primarily embedded within the VU University Medical Center (VUmc). The organizational structure is depicted in our annual report. EMGO+ hosts investigators based in research groups and departments of VUmc, the VU University Amsterdam and affiliated organizations. All research projects are grouped in one of our four research programs, each led by two program directors:
1. Lifestyle, Overweight and Diabetes,
2. Mental Health,
3. Quality of Care,
EMGO+ only accepts and supports research studies that fit within one of these programs, and that have rigorous methodology and adequate financial support. A quality insurance and control system involving an internal Science Committee, a quality handbook supported by an internal Quality Committee, and an external Advisory Board help us to stick to our standards. Studies that are embedded within EMGO+ are supervised by a full professor and advised by at least one other senior tenured staff member. All these studies are guided and supported by a formal research quality control infrastructure. We conduct a self-evaluation every three years to reflect on the institute's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, to monitor trends in input and outputs of the institute, in order to inform new policy plans. Every six years EMGO+ undergoes an external evaluation, in line with the Standard Evaluation Protocol of the Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2010 EMGO+ was evaluated for the 2004-2009 period, covering the institute’s transition to its present interfaculty organization. EMGO+ was rated as excellent. The institute as a whole as well as our four research programs were all rated as ‘excellent’, i.e. we received the best possible score. The 2004-2009 self evaluation report with its annexes and the external evaluation report are all available via our website.