EASO COM Applications

In response to this situation, EASO has developed a network of accredited specialised obesity centres, where the quality and efficacy of the care offered to patients are of the highest standards. Under the EASO Collaborating Centres for Obesity Management (COM) scheme, centres will be accredited in accordance with accepted European and academic guidelines. Our aim is to provide physicians, health-care policy makers and health-care providers with authoritative criteria for the development of Obesity Management Centres across Europe. Accreditation will be granted for a three year period, after which time re-assessment will be undertaken. The COMs network is organised into two sections, one for adult centres and one for paediatric centres.

For further information, please refer to the EASO COM Criteria Paper

Who Should Apply?

The EASO COM network may include university and public and private healthcare clinics.  Each centre must comply with clearly defined requirements and work in close collaboration for the better management of all patients with obesity.  Each accredited centre must ensure that the patient with obesity and overweight is managed by a holistic team of adult or paediatric specialists from multiple professional backgrounds and will receive comprehensive state-of-the-art clinical care in line with existing clinical practice guidelines for adult and paediatric obesity.

Furthermore, the participating centres, under the umbrella of EASO, will work closely for quality control, data collection and analysis, as well as education and research for the advancement of obesity care and obesity science. Centres must be active members of their national association affiliated to EASO and must have participated in past EASO European Congresses on Obesity.

Each centre will be expected to:

• Implement state-of-the art evidence-based care for adults, children and adolescents with obesity
• Monitor all obesity related health conditions and risk factors
• Provide high quality usable patient and public information
• Improve access to care pathways by optimising referral processes and developing close working between levels of care
• Develop comprehensive multidisciplinary local collaboration
• Facilitate and empower adults and families to implement healthy lifestyle changes
• Educate staff about treating adults, children and adolescents with obesity
• Encourage development of and support Patient/Carer Associations, by sharing experience and expertise
• Offer or collaborate with preventive care services
• Promote obesity related knowledge and awareness among the public and health care providers
• Improve the collaboration interface between clinical researchers and scientists
• Integrate health care, teaching and research within their services
• Facilitate clinical research projects where appropriate
• Participate in EASO’s European Congresses on Obesity
• Be active members of their national association affiliated to EASO

Key Benefits

Each centre will be accredited, for a three year period, (two year period for international affiliate) having met comprehensive criteria as set out by EASO and according to recognised European management guidelines – and will therefore be recognised as a leading obesity management centre in Europe.

Accredited centres will have the opportunity to:

• Contribute to the development of EASO pan-European protocols for the evaluation of patients with obesity
• Contribute to the development of consensus statements/guidelines on specialised aspects of  obesity management
• Contribute to obesity education across Europe
• Participate in an EASO led pan-European scientific/clinical exchange programme
• Participate in EASO facilitated Clinical Trials and Pilot Studies
• Participate in EASO coordinated research projects
• Participate in adult and paediatric COM Summit Meetings that take place each year in October
• Access and contribute to future EASO pan-European system of data collection and analysis
• Access a web-based adult and paediatric COM community where each centre can post job vacancies and highlight the key capabilities and features of the centre

How Can You Apply?

All interested centres should complete the EASO Adult COMs Application Form which will be assessed by the EASO OMWG (Obesity Management Working Group). Paediatric centres should complete the EASO Paediatric COMs Application Form which will be assessed by the EASO COWG (Childhood Obesity Working Group). Applications will be assessed up to three times per year – February, June and October.

If you require further information please contact the EASO Secretariat at enquiries@easo.org.

View the list of accredited EASO COMs centres

The EASO COMs form a network of European obesity management centres that unite to exchange expertise and experience. Each COM is assessed based on the criteria set out above and each is a separate and independent legal entity. Neither EASO nor any individual COM is responsible for the services or activities of any other COM. EASO does not necessarily endorse projects and actions undertaken by individual COMs.