Outline of governance

Mission

"To improve the quality of care, and optimise resource utilization by, prehospital care delivery systems around the world”   

The Falck Foundation is an independent, un-biased and non-commercial entity that seeks to carry out this mission by supporting scientific research and educational activities targeting the quality of care and optimization of resource utilization by prehospital care systems. 

Objectives

The objectives of the Falck Foundation are to support scientific research and education targeting all aspects of prehospital care including:

• quality metrics and measurement strategies

• administration, logistics and operations

• effectiveness and safety of clinical care delivered by prehospital care providers

• scope of practice of prehospital care providers

• education and training of prehospital care providers

• cost effectiveness of prehospital care delivery

• national healthcare policy, legislative frameworks and financial models related to prehospital care delivery

Research strategy

The Falck Foundations research strategy is to support research activities likely to yield benefits in terms of patient care, management and cost-containment in the field of pre-hospital care.

The Falck Foundation will periodically announce Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for targeted research on specific topics

The Falck Foundation will also consider funding proposals from investigators on topics of their own choosing, which fall within the areas of interest described above. 

Investigators are free to carry out their work within any prehospital care system that is able to support the proposed research activities.  Investigators may also apply for permission to study pre-existing data or carry out other research activities within the network of prehospital care systems operated by the Falck Group.

The Falck Foundations has three focus points

• Funding of external research
• Funding of and conducting research originated within the Falck Foundation
• Assistance to arrange contact between researchers and the Falck Group

Governing council

The Falck Foundation is governed by a Governing Council .The Governing Council acts as the executive body of the association and represents the latter in and out of court.

The Secretary General shall on behalf of the Governing Council act as coordinator between the association and Falck Group and any other organizations whenever deemed necessary by the Governing Council.

Medical advisory board

The work of the Medical Advisory Board is essential to the Falck Foundation. The members of the Medical Advisory Board are leading scientific entities involved in pre-hospital care.

The role of the Medical Advisory Board is to:

• Make recommendations to the Governing Council about the funding of research projects
• Propose and carry out research and other projects, which are presented to the Governing Council for approval
• Offer seminars and writing articles on behalf of the Falck Foundation.
• Make recommendations to the Governing Council about accreditation of pre hospital educational programmes.

Support and assistance

Research support, e.g. discussions into special requirements and methodology,  is given by the Medical Advisory Board where it can.

Administrative support to the Governing Council and the Medical Advisory Board is provided by the Secretary General of the Falck Foundation.

Minutes of meetings in the Falck Foundation and all other records of work are maintained by the Secretary General.

Applications and other correspondence should be sent to the Secretary General.

Conflict of interest policy

It is a fundamental principal, that decisions made in the Falck Foundation are impartial. A conflict of interest arises when members of the Medical Advisory Board have personal or private interest in the awards from the Falck Foundation.

A member must declare any conflict of interest to the Medical Advisory Board and must absent him/herself from the final decision in which there might be a conflict of interest.

It is important to emphasize that a potential or actual conflict of interest does not imply anything about the individuals integrity.

Publicity and publication

The Falck Foundation will never attempt to influence the content of publications or substance of the research. However copies of all published work should be sent to the Falck Foundation for the records. Publications must follow the Vancouver Rules.

Whenever publications or presentation are made related to research supported by the Falck Foundation, an acknowledgment of the support should be included.

The Falck Foundation may publish information on projects which it supports financially or otherwise. This information could be the name of the main researcher, host institution, location of the project, objectives of the project, amount of funding and the project reports. In clearly justified cases, the main researcher may request that the information is withheld.