Together for a Sustainable Future of Quality and Safety

International speakers in the forefront of the field and national leading policy makers presented their perspectives and research to the audience and discussed in a panel how we can solve the future challenges in patient safety. Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite from Australia; County Governor of Rogaland and former Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie; Director of Learning and Relations in Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board, Synnøve Serigstad; Associate Professor and Head of Centre for Care Research, Maren Sogstad; and Professor and Head of Prehospital Clinic Stephen Sollid presented and took part in the panel discussion chaired by Centre Director of SHARE, Siri Wiig.

Focus on Patient Safety in Prehospital Care

Stephen Sollid is Head of prehospital division at Oslo University hospital and Professor at the University of Oslo. His speak was titled “Patient safety in prehospital care – a different path or same same?”. According to him, prehospital patient safety has features and challenges that are different from patient safety inside the hospital. Some factors are also more prominent in influencing patient safety outside the hospital.

“However, there is still a paucity in research on patient safety outside the hospital and more research is needed. SHARE has a potential to play an important role in this,” says Sollid.

As a new partner of SHARE, could you elaborate on how Oslo University Hospital's collaboration with SHARE will enhance the hospital's approach to quality and safety in healthcare?

“Oslo University Hospital is Norway’s largest hospital trust, and one of Europe’s largest hospital systems. The hospital has extensive activity in patient safety initiatives, but there is a lack of coordinated research and development in patient safety. The SHARE partnership will play an important role in boosting and promoting research on patient safety in Oslo University Hospital,” answers Sollid.

Challenges and Innovations in Healthcare’s Future

Associate professor Cecilie Haraldseid-Driftland is responsible for communication and dissemination at SHARE. She believes that gathering highly skilled individuals at this seminar provides the participants with food for thought, new perspectives and ideas.

“All the speakers gave us a sneak peek into their everyday life through explaining current work practices and projects, while also providing us with examples of future challenges and opportunities. I highly enjoyed Bent Høie’s talk about the importance of learning across sectors and how we need to be imaginative and innovative when facing the challenges of our future. This was particularly inspirational related to future research opportunities,” states Haraldseid-Driftland.

She believes that the future holds both great challenges and possibilities. Less resources in form of people and money, but also new resources related to technology and artificial intelligence will according to her pressure us to find new, more innovative and efficient ways of working.

“The future is coming, and we must choose to embrace it and look at it as opportunity for improving current processes and systems, although we must acknowledge that change is difficult,” states Haraldseid-Driftland.

Extensive Seminar Coordination

Postdoctoral researcher Inger Johanne Bergerød is research coordinator at SHARE. She organized the seminar together with Siri Wiig and Lene Schibevaag.

“We are so happy that the participants highly enjoyed the seminar and were impressed of how nicely the different talks informed the same subject of quality and safety from different perspectives. Approximately 70 people attended,” says Bergerød in conclusion.

Read also: Organizes seminar on the future of quality and safety in healthcare

Text: Eigil Kloster Osmundsen  

Image gallery from the seminar