The preparatory work for the identification of Clinical Indicators to be collected has already been done during the first QUEST Convention held in Toledo, Spain in March. This was work was done by the ERA-EDTA Registry Working Groups composed of national experts nominated by National societies and National registries together with internationally recognised experts (working group leaders). We formed five working groups focused on cardiovascular complications of ESRD, anaemia, bone disease and
dialysis adequacy. A special working group on electronic data extraction was created with the precise aim of facilitating data collection in centres that have already established effective clinical filing systems. The basic tenet of the QUEST initiative is a bottom up approach, i.e. an approach aimed at constructing common goals and common research projects emanating from National and Regional Registries. Working groups are chaired by first class and worldwide re-known experts (F. Locatelli, J. Cannata-Andía, C. Wanner, J. Kooman and R. Kramar) but a fundamental role for coordination and project building is played by the co-chairs elected during the Toledo Convention.
The elected working groups co-chairs are B. Stengel and M. Jadoul (cardiovascular), L. Pedrini and C. Couchoud (dialysis adequacy), J.P. Wauters, W. Van Biesen and L. Del Vecchio (anaemia), C. Tielemans and D. Memmos (bone disease) and H. Augustijn (electronic data extraction).