16.09.2024

Patient Safety Week 2024

Diagnosis. A team affair.

From 16.09.2024 - 20.09.2024, the national Patient Safety Week will take place in Switzerland with the theme «Diagnosis. A team affair».
Patient safety is a top priority for the Swiss Medical Network clinics. The campaign aims to sensitise patients and healthcare professionals alike to actively and consciously help shape the diagnostic process.

What does «Diagnosis. A team affair.» ?

Scientific background

What is the goal?

Measures for improvement

The role of the patient

The role of the healthcare professional

What does «Diagnosis. A team affair.»?

Patient safety in healthcare can be significantly increased through correct and timely diagnosis as well as effective and good teamwork during the diagnostic process. The campaign aims to emphasise the importance of cross-team and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Not only the healthcare staff should see themselves as a team. The campaign also aims to encourage patients to play an active role in the diagnosis process. The comprehensive communication of the patient's medical history to the treating healthcare staff is crucial for a reliable and precise diagnosis.

«In healthcare, three dimensions need to be linked: Diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. In my opinion, the communication channels between the individual parties involved must be promoted and these three dimensions taken into account so that the statement ‘Diagnosis. A team effort.’ is true.

The different parties involved have different skills and sensitivities to contribute to an accurate diagnosis.»

Head of Physiotherapy Department, Swiss Medical Network

«Diagnostics is always a team affair. It is an analytical assessment of the nature of a possible disease.

Therefore, all information is necessary and useful for the diagnosis. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential!»

Regional Directorate, Swiss Medical Network

What is the scientific background to the campaign?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adverse events in healthcare treatment are among the ten most common causes of illness and death in patients. (Federal Office of Public Health FOPH, 2023).

In its Global Patient Safety Report 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that an estimated 2 to 4 million preventable adverse events occur in hospitals worldwide every year. A recent case study of 13 GP practices in the UK found that 60.8% of all avoidable incidents were due to problems with diagnosis. Communication problems appear to be a major cause of many treatment errors (WHO, 2024, p.18).

What is the aim of the campaign?

To raise awareness of diagnostic errors and emphasise the importance of a quick, correct and reliable diagnosis.
This involves everyone, from politicians and healthcare professionals to patients and their relatives. Everyone should actively engage with their important role in the healthcare process (WHO, 2024).

How can communication be improved?

«Healthcare professionals must be able to empathise with the patient. The patient receives a diagnosis and when he hears it, he automatically starts to think about it.

They may not be able to absorb the subsequent information. Healthcare professionals must be aware of this. As a team, you should pick up the patient and actively involve them in the diagnostic process and respond to them empathetically.»

Roger Sigrist, coach, supervisor and team developer

«The time factor is significant in this context. For example, if you are rushed in a conversation or appear rushed, the result of the conversation is often different. As a professional, it is important to conduct a conversation calmly and show interest in the other person. This results in fewer misunderstandings and mistakes. However, this is easier said than done. It means making a constant effort.

Ultimately, however, it can also save you more time.

Good interaction between the different professions and a good atmosphere are simply important and have a positive impact on healing.»

Coach and organisational developer

How can patients contribute to improving diagnostic certainty?

For example, patients can prepare for a doctor's appointment by asking themselves the following questions:

What are your expectations and wishes for the appointment?
What topics should be discussed?
Have there been any changes in your state of health since your last appointment?
- If so, since when and do they affect your everyday life?
Have you consulted any other specialists regarding your health?
- If yes, which ones, was there any therapy and what was the outcome of the treatment?
Do you have any questions or concerns about your treatment or therapy?

«To prepare well for your consultation, it is helpful if you take existing medical documents (reports of investigations, results of examinations and others) with you. It is also good if they think about their questions in advance or even write them down. Sometimes it is also a good idea to be accompanied by someone close to you.»

Specialist in anaesthesiology & attending physician, Swiss Medical Network

«Keep a written log with the exact date. This should document the symptoms as well as the progression of the symptoms and the type (e.g. stabbing pain, throbbing pain); the intensity of the pain on a pain scale between 0 and 10 should also be documented. If you have already carried out a treatment on your own, describe it exactly and its effect as well as the period of time. What has a positive or negative effect on the symptoms (e.g. heat/cold). Ideally, the patient should bring a list of secondary diagnoses, treatments (operations) and current medication.»

Specialist in orthopaedics and traumatology FMH & attending physician, Swiss Medical Network

And what can healthcare professionals do?

«It is also important to value the opinions of others within the team, as each person is a piece of the puzzle and contributes to the diagnosis. It is important that the different groups of people of different ages work together with their individual advantages and disadvantages. This also helps you to recognise more. It is therefore important to be appreciative of the other person, to communicate properly and to listen to them. The same applies to appropriate self-reflection and a culture of feedback.

The organisation must also promote a harmonious, calm atmosphere. This is achieved through continuity, appreciation and openness to dialogue. With today's shortage of skilled labour, this is becoming even more important.»

Coach and organisational developer

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