Report of Gunma University WHO Collaborating Centre International Symposium “Developing Patient Safety Culture: IPE Incorporation with WHO”

Title: Gunma University WHO Collaborating Centre International Symposium “Developing Patient Safety Culture: IPE Incorporation with WHO”
Organizer: Gunma University
(WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Interprofessional Education)
Managing organizers:
Centre for Research and Training on Interprofessional Education
Gunma University Hospital
Graduate School of Health Sciences
Graduate School of Medicine
Date: 11 November 2017
Venue: Tojo Hall, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan

Overview
 Communication skills such as CUS (Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety) for informing anxiety, SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) for informing methods have been developed for patient safety. However, these skills do not work well in reality. Communication skills work usefully in the organizational culture where multi-disciplinary health workers respect and support each other. Gunma University has decided to introduce IPE program into the medical curriculums and aims to establish strong mutual support system for stronger patient safety mechanism beyond different health professions. The international symposium was held to share the information of global and national momentums of patient safety. Dr. Neelam Dhingra-Kumar Coordinator, Patient Safety and Risk Management, WHO and Dr. Yasuyuki Sahara, Councillor, the Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, Japan contributed regarding the policy of patient safety from viewpoints of global and national health.
 A large audience of 220, including undergraduate and high-school students, governmental staff of Gunma prefecture, Faculty staff, administrative staff and patients admitted to the University Hospital, participated in the symposium and the following discussion. On the basis of the symposium Gunma University will develop a patient safety culture in the University Hospital and contribute to the WHO global strategy in patient safety with educational capacity of IPE.

          Dr. Hideomi Watanabe
          Director, Center for Research and Training on Interprofessional Education
                                     25 December 2017