International GPCC Summit 2012
A Full day’s fervent debating at the 2012 GPCC Summit on “Implementing Person-centred Care – The Agenda for Change”
This annual summit, hosted by University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care (GPCC), was held at Sahlgrenska Academy on the 15th November. This year’s theme was “Implementing Person-centred Care – The Agenda for Change”.
A number of prominent national and international representatives from the fields of research, health care, industry and culture spent a full day debating how to achieve the change required to be able to implement person-centred care in the health care system. “This change is required, says GPCC Director Inger Ekman, not only in clinical practice but also in research, education and commercial and industry practice.”
Participants included:
• Juan E. Mezzich, Professor ,President, International College of Person-centered Medicine.
• Carin Mannheimer, Author, Director, Honorary Doctor Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
• Bradi Granger, Associate Professor, Duke University School of Nursing, Associate Director Duke Translational Nursing Institute.
• Sineva Ribeiro, President, the Swedish Association of Health Professionals, (Vårdförbundet).
• Torbjörn Hägglöf, Client Executive Life Sciences IBM.
• Barbro Fridén, Hospital Director, Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
• Pam Fredman, Professor and Vice Chancellor, University of Gothenburg.
The conclusion of the day’s discussion was that all participants strongly agreed that a change in the health care system is not only needed but unavoidable, but that it would take a lot of effort to achieve.
Some voices from the discussions:
Ingrid Burman, President, The Swedish Disability Organisation; “Person-centred care is a win for the patient but also for economy. There is no opposition in that. To get change you must work on all levels.”
Ann Söderström, Director of Health Care, Västra Götaland Region: “What is the incentive for change? Just saving money won't engage people: creating values will. Values like what is good for the patient.”
Sineva Ribeiro, President of The Swedish Association of Health Professionals (Vårdförbundet). “We have to see the bigger picture; see the multi-sick older person not the disease.”
Carin Mannheimer: “As an old person it is easier to get botox treatment than a geriatric doctor to overview your medicines. Many old people have problems with their medicines; side effects, getting a hold of them, confusion caused by changing design and colour of the pills... why don't doctors phone up their patients to check if their medicines are working?