RESEARCH THAT IMPACTS. This fall, the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) will launch a new European standardization secretariat to develop clear guidelines for patient participation in person-centered care, following an initiative from the Centre for Person-Centred Care, at the University of Gothenburg – GPCC. At the same time, it is also clear that the GPPC is extended for another six years.
There is an enormous need for a common viewpoint on quality, within care, throughout Europe – an established method for measuring and comparing patient participation – to facilitate patient centered care.
“It is great fun to finally get started on this work, on a European level. For several years, the GPCC has worked to initiate standardization to create consensus, both nationally and internationally, on the patient’s role in person-centered healthcare,” says Alex Wolf, Registered Nurse and Senior Lecturer at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Researcher at GPCC.
Moreover, SIS will lead the European standardization work, to create a Swedish so-called mirroring committee that will actively participate in and follow the European work. The object is to create an operative standard of quality, with guidelines for patient participation, in healthcare services and patient-centered care. The goal is good and safe care by initiating and developing a partnership between the patient/relatives and healthcare personnel, based on the person’s resources, capacity and needs.
Five countries initially included
“We are extremely happy that we get to lead the work of creating – and in the future being able to offer companies, organizations and the authorities – clear guidelines and a common viewpoint on quality, within healthcare, in Europe,” comments Thomas Idermark, CEO at SIS. This will benefit both service suppliers and European citizens, and strengthen the free movement of personnel and patients, in Europe.
The first meeting of the Swedish committee will be held in Stockholm, in September. The European work will be started during the same period. Initially, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria will participate. We expect that, over the next two years, more countries, in Europe, will participate in the work.
Extended until 2022
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gothenburg, Pam Fredman, has assigned GPCC Centre Director, Inger Ekman, the task of running the GPCC for a further six years. The new operating period is July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2022.
“When the GPCC was established six years ago, our goal was to be a leader in person-centered care research in Europe, and after having conducted a number of intervention studies, we have reached our goal. The action plan for the coming six years will include, such things as, focusing on research for implementing person-centered care, that is to say, sustainability, obstacles and possibilities,” says Inger Ekman.
