ECMM Excellence Centers

Distribution of ECMM Excellence Centers worldwide as of January 2024


Towards a global network of excellent centers

The ECMM Excellence Center initiative was founded in 2016 by Oliver Cornely, Jacques Meis and Cornelia Lass-Flörl.

WHAT ARE ECMM EXCELLENCE CENTERS?
An ECMM Excellence Center (ECMM EC) is an institution designated by the ECMM Board to form part of an international collaborative network.
In line with the ECMM policy and strategy, an ECMM EC participates in the strengthening of country resources, in terms of information, services, research and training, in support of national health development.
Designation is made with the agreement of the head of the establishment to which the institution is attached or with that of the director of the institution.

WHY BECOME AN ECMM EXCELLENCE CENTER?
• The network of ECMM EC will direct physicians, patients, and relatives to an appropriate and capable center.
Physicians, patients and relatives frequently seek advice when confronted with invasive fungal diseases (IFD), but unfortunately, there is no uniform system to direct them to the respective experts in their country.
Acute and chronic IFD are often life threatening and timely diagnosis and treatment options are particularly complex. An expanding array of diagnostic tests, methods for detection of resistance and antifungal compounds add to that complexity.
Most, if not all IFD are rare or orphan diseases as per the epidemiological definition.
• ECMM EC designation provides institutions with enhanced visibility and recognition by national authorities, calling public attention to the health issues on which they work. It opens up improved opportunities to exchange information and develop technical cooperation with other institutions, in particular at international level, and to mobilize additional and sometimes important resources from funding partners.
• Guaranteed ECMM Guideline participation (all guidelines for Diamond centers, every second guideline for Gold centers, every third guideline for Silver centers)
• Dedicated ECMM Excellence Center Symposium with Research highlights from ECMM Excellence Centers at every TIMM

DESIGNATION
The designation both recognizes the collaboration with ECMM and the designated institution, and provides a formal framework for future joint activities. It is a time‐limited, renewable agreement of collaboration between ECMM and ECMM EC.
Excellence centers are encouraged to display the label “European Medical Mycology Center” in letterheads, web sites, presentations etc.
If centers decide to use the designation, it is mandatory to combine it with the ECMM logo.

The designation differentiates ECMM EC quality in Silver, Gold and Diamond Status and ECMM Fungal Centers (without “Excellence”) in Blue Status. The audit plan gives a detailed overview of the requirements needed.
• Blue Status
ECMM Centers fulfilling minimum requirements in diagnosis and management of invasive fungal infections. This status is an ECMM Fungal center, possibly a candidate for a future ECMM Excellence Center.
• Silver Status
Excellence in either clinical microbiology or infectious diseases.
• Gold Status
Excellence in the both mycological fields of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases.
• Diamond Status
Gold Status AND participation in ECMM endorsed clinical or epidemiological studies.

The Committee for evaluation of ECMM Excellence Centers:

Cornelia Lass-Flörl, Austria (Microbiology Chair)
Oliver Cornely, Germany (Clinical Chair)
Alexandre Alanio (EC Study Coordinator)
Jesus Guinea, Spain (Committee member)
Orla Morrissey, Australia (Committee member)
Alessandro Pasqualotto, Brazil (Committee member)
Riina Richardson, UK (Committee member)