Patient Safety Round Table
Improving the outcome of critically ill patients remains an ideal that every practicing Intensivist strives to achieve.
Although, there are hundreds of research papers published every year that help us to understand the complex interactions of physiology, pathology and clinical medicine very few have a significant impact on outcome measures that are relevant to patients themselves.
One area of clinical practice that is often overlooked, but can impact significantly on relevant patient outcomes, is the process of care.
The way we practice, the culture we work in, the climate that our professional demeanor creates can all dramatically impact on outcome measures. Unfortunately, these topics are often not easy to explain, are difficult to study and do not attract research funding that stimulates scientific minds to address the problem.
To improve the profile of these subjects, the ESICM has launched a major initiative that will bring together the representatives of Critical Care Societies from around the world with the aim of pledging their efforts and resources towards improving the care of our patients. Together with the societies signing this Declaration of Vienna will be senior representatives from the political world, our partners in industry and of course patient representatives themselves. The meeting will assess problems and solutions from around the world irrespective of geographical, political or economic factors. This unique partnership will allow collaborations to be fostered and for partnerships to develop. We hope to be able to use this group to raise the profile of the patient safety agenda and therefore change the way we practice everyday with resultant benefits for all.
