Improving Diagnosis: It takes A Team

On October 8–10, the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) will convene its 10^th Annual, Diagnostic Error in Medicine International Conference in Boston, MA. The conference will be centered on the role of the team and teamwork in improving the diagnostic process and diagnostic reliability. CRICO—the captive insurer for the Harvard Medical community—has long worked with its insured organizations and clinicians to improve diagnosis. And in a common commitment to reduce the risk of medical error based on diagnostic error, CRICO Strategies has supported The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine since 2015.

Allegations of diagnostic errors lead to 20 percent of all medical malpractice claims and lawsuits. More than half of those (57%) stem from ambulatory care. The average payment for such cases (closed from 2008–2012) was $442,000.

Dana Siegal, RN, CPHRM, CPPS, Director of Patient Safety for CRICO Strategies, has served on SIDM’s board of directors for the past three years and is currently involved in the development of this year's Boston-based event. She notes that CRICO and CRICO Strategies will be well represented on the faculty of this event, bringing a wealth of expertise and experience to this national convening of clinicians and patient safety leaders invested in reducing error and harm in diagnostic medicine.

“ SIDM is the only organization solely focused on the issues related to diagnostic error and the resulting harm. We are very excited to be taking the conversation about diagnostic error to the next level by engaging in a nationwide conversation about the role of teamwork in the diagnostic journey.” —Dana Siegal

This three-day conference will provide a forum for subject matter experts, front line care givers, and all those focused on the issues of diagnostic safety to engage in a robust dialog about the importance of teaming. As Bob Trowbridge, MD, chairman of this conference noted, “The conference will look to define the diagnostic team and the roles of each of the team members while also finding ways to foster intra- and inter-professional collaboration. The overall goal of the conference is for all attendees to leave the conference with a clear understanding of how they individually may contribute to the diagnostic process and improve diagnostic safety.”

Anyone with a role in the diagnostic process, and/or and interest in mitigating risk, will find great value in this event: primary and specialty physicians, nurses, insurers and risk managers, hospital leaders, and patient safety leaders are all encouraged to attend. Register now for some or all of this exciting event.

Many from the CRICO and CRICO Strategies community will be part of the faculty:

Keynote presenters:

• Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP, FRCP, President Emeritus and Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Amy C. Edmondson, PhD, AM Harvard University
• David Mayer, MD, MedStar Health

Faculty members include:

• Laurie Drill-Mellum, MD, MPH, Constellation
• Patricia Folcarelli, RN, PhD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Penny Greenberg, MS, RN, CPPS, CRICO Strategies
• Alisa Khan, MD, MPH, Boston Children's Hospital, Project Leader, Patient and Family Centered I-PASS Study
• Susan Mann, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/QualBridge Institute
• David Mayer, MD, MedStar Health
• Liz Mort, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
• Mark E. Reynolds, CRICO
• Gordon Schiff, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital Center for Patient Safety Research
• Dana Siegal, RN, CPHRM, CPPS, CRICO Strategies
• Arabella Simpkin, MA (Oxon), BMBCh, MRCPCH, MMSc, Massachusetts General Hospital

I hope you will join your colleagues and attend the Diagnostic Error in Medicine conference this October as we take the next step to improve diagnosis. Register here: www.DEMConference.org.