HUG has gradually started to introduce cross-disciplinary facilities, including Centers and Care Programs.
A Center is an interdepartmental facility involving medical units and/or medical divisions in order to:
- organize interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary dialog to define common clinical protocols and implement clinical pathways
- organize inpatient and outpatient interdisciplinary consultations
- develop clinical research protocols
- facilitate undergraduate teaching and organize postgraduate training
For mandate and funding issues, a Center is affiliated with the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Medical Officer for medical practice issues. In terms of research and teaching, a Center is linked to the Medical and Quality Directorate and to the Education and Research Directorate. It works within a mandate set by the Executive Committee and has specific resources and a fixed budget.
A Program is a multidisciplinary, cross-disciplinary action to coordinate and harmonize care practices for key diseases. Unlike a Center, a Program has no specific resources or budget. A Program:
- is led by a steering committee chaired by the Chief Medical Officer or a Head of Division appointed by him/her
- is coordinated by a Head of Division or a Staff Physician
- has no budgetary autonomy; resources can be allocated to it in the framework of strategic plan priorities
- has a limited life-span
