Event report: - State Claims Agency

The Clinical Risk Unit in the State Claims Agency hosted the conference 'Understanding and Improving Diagnosis in Healthcare' for delegated State authorities under the Clinical Indemnity Scheme, in-person at the Alex Hotel on 1 October.

This learning event brought together leaders in the field of diagnostics in healthcare to share their knowledge, expertise and experience.

Event Overview

Diagnostic errors are a leading cause of preventable harm in service users, with the potential for serious harm, making them a global priority in patient safety.

The speakers explored the theme of diagnosis – exploring the challenges, as well as the best practices and the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), that are shaping the future of diagnosis to improve the quality of care and patient safety.

The conference was attended by over 100 delegates, including representatives from the HSE, hospitals and a range of other health and social care organisations.

Our national and international speakers included:

Maureen Nolan, Patient Advocate, Patients For Patient Safety Ireland, who provided insights on the patient perspective and the cost of diagnostic errors to patients and their families
Dr John Fitzsimons, Consultant Paediatrician, Clinical Director for QI, HSE, who focused on diagnostic excellence, what that looks like and how it can be achieved
Dr Olga Kostopoulou, Applied Cognitive Psychologist - Imperial College London, who looked at the cognitive process relating to diagnosis and its impact on diagnostic errors, while providing strategies on how to overcome these errors
Dr Peter MacMahon, Consultant Radiologist, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, who spoke about reducing diagnostic error in radiology, the role of AI, and how AI is being applied in radiology departments in Irish hospitals
Professor Prashant Mahajan, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, who provided an international perspective on how diagnostic measurement frameworks can improve safety

Delegates also heard from Petar Popivanov, Helen Castelino and Sheena Bolger from the Coombe Hospital on their project "Improving early screening for maternal sepsis at The Coombe Hospital".

The event concluded with a lively facilitated panel discussion moderated by Professor Debbie McNamara, President, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.