Dear friends,
    The 1st Virtual Congress of Cardiology has completed its development. It received auspices from 15 Universities, 58 Scientific Societies, and 16 Foundations, and its scientific sessions had 7,573 participants from 95 countries.

    The activities proposed were adapted to adjust them to the economical resources obtained:

• Independently from the format of the material received, a total of 173 lectures and athenaeums, and 419 approved Brief Communications were edited and published in their original language (Spanish, English, and/or Portuguese). This material is available 24 hours a day on the Web, and by e-mail through FTPMail.
• Through mailing lists, 16 moderated and bilingual (Spanish-English, or Portuguese-English) thematic forums were implemented, as well as 8 forums for working. The questions and answers relevant to each activity were edited and published on the Web.
• A system for self-evaluation was implemented, with questions about the lectures, and with credits for recertification by the Argentine Federation of Cardiology.
• Chats were carried out in Spanish.
• From each one of the versions (Spanish and English) of the Newsletter of the FVCC, its 20 issues were published.
• A Public Area was available in Spanish for everyone, with medical and cultural information, and entertainment for professionals and general public.
• The bi-directional, on line union between the cardiovascular area of the 6^th Internet World Congress for Biomedical Sciences (INABIS 2000) and the whole FVCC was fulfilled.
• A CD will be edited and distributed between the participants, with the complete contents of the FVCC.

    The Argentine Federation of Cardiology, continuing with its use of teleinformatics that began in 1986, and was manifested in 1994 in its Teleinformatics Center (CETIFAC), has decided that the human and technical resources developed in the FVCC should be turned to the Forum of Continual Education on Cardiology, and in the preparations for the 2nd Virtual Congress of Cardiology, that will be carried out from September to November 2001.
    I apologize for the mistakes that undoubtedly we made, the experience gathered has been lengthy, and it will help us to minimize the former in the future. I wish to thank especially the Executive Board of the FAC, and the Members of the Steering and Scientific Committees, the lecturers, authors, and participants, secretaries and technical staff, and all the people, institutions, and companies that in one way or another made the FVCC possible.
    Warmest regards

Estimados amigos:
   El 1er Congreso Virtual de Cardiología ha completado su desarrollo. Fue auspiciado por 15 Universidades, 58 Sociedades Científicas y 16 Fundaciones y las sesiones científicas contaron con 7573 participantes provenientes de 95 países.

    Las actividades propuestas se redimensionaron para adecuarlas a los recursos económicos obtenidos:

• Independientemente del formato del material recibido, se editó y publicó en el idioma original (español, inglés y/o portugués) la totalidad de las 173 conferencias, relatos y ateneos y de los 419 Temas Libres aprobados. Este material está disponible las 24 horas desde la Web y por correo electrónico a través de FTPMail.
• Mediante mailing lists se implementaron 16 foros temáticos, moderados y bilingües (inglés-español o inglés-portugués) y 8 foros de trabajo. Las preguntas y respuestas pertinentes con las actividades respectivas se editaron y publicaron en la Web.
• Se implementó un sistema de autoevaluación con preguntas originadas en los relatos, con créditos para recertificación por parte de la Federación Argentina de Cardiología.
• Se realizaron chats en español.
• Se publicaron 20 ejemplares en cada una de las versiones en castellano e inglés del Newsletter del PCVC.
• Se habilitó el Area Pública de acceso libre, en español, con información médica, cultural y entretenimientos para profesionales y público en general.
• Se concretó la unión on line bidireccional entre el área cardiovascular del 6^th Internet World Congress for Biomedical Sciences (INABIS 2000) y la totalidad del PCVC.
• Se editará y distribuirá entre los inscriptos un CD con el contenido completo del PCVC.

    La Federación Argentina de Cardiología, continuando con el uso de la teleinformática, iniciada en 1986 y plasmada en 1994 en su Centro de Teleinformática (CETIFAC), ha dispuesto que los recursos humanos y técnicos desarrollados en el PCVC se vuelquen al Foro de Educación Continua en Cardiología y en la preparación del 2do Congreso Virtual de Cardiología, a realizarse entre septiembre y noviembre de 2001.
    Pido disculpas por los errores que sin duda se cometieron, la experiencia recogida ha sido extensa y nos ayudará a minimizarlos en el futuro.      Deseo agradecer especialmente a la Mesa Directiva de FAC, a los Miembros de los Comités Organizador y Científico, a los conferencistas, relatores, autores y participantes, a las secretarias y personal técnico y a todas las personas, instituciones y empresas que de una u otra manera hicieron posible el PCVC.
    Un fuerte abrazo.

Dear Colleagues and Friends,
    We have reached the last day of the First Virtual Congress of Cardiology. For six months, more than 7,500 professionals and technicians in Medicine related to Cardiology, as well as general public, have been able to learn, get updated information, share experiences and opinions, present and discuss scientific works, and even fraternize and establish bonds of friendship that will remain for ever. Lectures, Symposia, Mailing Lists, Courses, Chat sessions on line among others, have been the tools that made possible interaction of participants from 95 countries from every continent. More than 150 internationally renowned speakers have contributed with their valuable presentations in this unprecedented fashion of transmitting updated knowledge. There were near 600 Brief Communications received, from which 419 were accepted, which are an exact expression of the interest that the Congress has awaken in the groups of research from all over the world.
    The Steering Committee, under the direction of Dr. Armando Pacher, has carried out a hard but equally distinguished work of coordination and unification, achieving an excellent final product out of the material received and presented through the Internet, thus constituting the FVCC as a pioneer experience.
    But this end is as Virtual as the Congress itself. All the experience gathered, and all the relationships established will continue to bear fruit. The Argentine Federation of Cardiology, organizer of the Congress, has reached thus a goal that brings honor to it: to have contributed modestly to the application of new technologies for world cardiac community's improvement, in benefit of the health and the quality of life of our patients.
    Dear Friends, we hope that the First Virtual Congress of Cardiology has been interesting for you, and we have no doubts that this farewell is no more than a Till Tomorrow!, when the Permanent Forum on Education on Cardiology will make possible that the tools created will go on being available for those interested in using them.

    The First Virtual Congress of Cardiology, gestated in the Committee of Informatics of the Argentine Federation of Cardiology, presided by Dr. Armando Pacher, is coming to an end.
    This first experience has turned out to be of great value for our Institution. Partly because this is an utterly innovative experience, partly because somehow it allowed to increase the international presence of the Federation, and partly because it leaves in the hands of the Institution a powerful tool that will have to be employed in pursuit of its growth.
    The only thing left for me to say, is to thank from this Executive Board, and on behalf of the Federation, those who with devotion, capacity, and sacrifice have worked to achieve these goals; those who with disinterested participation provided a scientific framework for the activities, and the receivers of this effort that were the final reason for this enterprise.

    Peoples sharpen they creativity when faced with needs, and when they find difficulties. The FAC (Federacion Argentina de Cardiologia - Argentine Federation of Cardiology) having to cover the whole territory of our country, had a problem unsolved for many years. Maybe because of this back in 1986, the future of informatics was perceived. That would be the tool used by the FAC to cover its lack of real communication between the different Federated Societies. Since the humble beginning, along time we have arrived to nowadays, when we are about to finish a Virtual Congress with almost 8,000 registrations, and several dozens of countries.
    The current Executive Board, just as the future one that I am representing, have understood that informatics will provide support to the FAC in a way that it lacked before.
    The road we have chosen cannot be altered, on the contrary it will be strengthened every moment; we are already planning the Second Virtual Congress for next year, just as multiple activities along the same path.
    It is my intention that informatics democratize even more the FAC, so that any member, in any part of the country, may get in touch with his/her Executive Board, fostering an enriching dialogue; that the Presidents of Societies may communicate among each other and coordinate their activities; that consultation and teaching should be carried out through the Committees, and much more.
    As I have said, we saw a road, we started along it, we tread faster and faster; nothing will stop us. The future belongs to us.
    Thank you very much.

    The good reception to the 1st Virtual Congress of Cardiology, is a mirror of the success reached. The near 7700 registrations from 95 countries, is a resonant figure that guarantees individual receptiveness and a high level of participation. The support from 15 Universities, 58 Scientific Societies, and 16 Foundations is a sample of the institutional backing provided to this Congress.
    It is the first activity in regard to cardiology on the Internet, in which brief communications are presented, discussions are made, one can participate in the three languages spoken in the American Continent (Spanish, English, and Portuguese), and it is possible to interact actively.
    For the Inter-American Heart Foundation, this important congress constitutes a new mechanism that makes scientific information dissemination easier, in a wide and economical way, and likewise, it encourages and strengthens the organizational and individual net in the American Continent, which contributes to the development of programs for Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Diseases. Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, due to high morbidity and mortality, require for their control, the participation of the whole Health team, and Community in general, as well as use of means of communication that allow knowledge to reach everyone so that benefits can be universal.
This 1st Virtual Congress met expectations, and must encourage us to organize similar events in the future.

    La receptividad que ha tenido el I Congreso Virtual de Cardiología, es un reflejo del éxito alcanzado. Cerca de 7700 inscritos provenientes de 95 países, es una cifra contundente que avala la receptividad individual y el alto nivel de participación. El respaldo de 15 Universidades, 58 Sociedades Científicas y 16 Fundaciones es una muestra del apoyo institucional que ha tenido el Congreso. Es la primera actividad cardiológica en Internet en la cual se presentan temas libres, se realizan discusiones, se puede participar en los tres idiomas hablados en el continente Americano (español, ingles y portugués) y se puede interactuar activamente.
    Para la Fundación Interamericana del Corazón este importante congreso constituye un novedoso mecanismo que facilita la diseminación de la información científica en una forma amplia y económica, asimismo, estimula y fortalece la red organizativa e individual en el continente americano, lo cual contribuye al desarrollo de los programas de Prevención y Control de las Enfermedades Cardiovasculares. Las Enfermedades Cardiovasculares y Cerebrovasculares, por su alta morbilidad y mortalidad, requieren para su control, la participación de todo el equipo de Salud y de la Comunidad en general, asimismo la utilización de formas de comunicación que permitan que el conocimiento pueda llegar a todos para que el beneficio pueda ser universal.
    Este Primer Congreso Virtual cumplió las expectativas y debe estimularnos a la organización de eventos similares en el futuro.

    I would like to express my deepest satisfaction by which I am overcome, as Dean of Bioengineering, at the Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, while I greet the 7,500 participants of the First Virtual Congress of Cardiology that have made possible communication among the 95 countries that they represented. These figures do ratify that all the effort placed in this enterprise was undoubtedly worthwhile!
    It is true that there were obstacles, and that there is always resistance to change, however persistence in the work, and trust in participation tell us today, that we are not mistaken. These results encourage us to continue in this direction, and for this particular reason, I would also like to support and summon you to participate in the Forum on Continual Education on Cardiology, that will surely constitute the proper environment to strengthen professional updating and education in the specialty.
    And of course, I have to be sure to invite you to take part with the same enthusiasm in the 2nd Virtual Congress of Cardiology, from September to November 2001, that will surely find us taking advantage of the rich experience that we have earned along these months in this meeting of scientific and human value.
    Thank you very much.