Joining forces for patient safety

The AMA and AARP partner on a patient-safety initiative that stresses how a better patient-physician relationship can produce better care.

Editorial. April 9, 2007.

For all the high-level discussion on how to improve patient safety, a vitally important dialogue is the one that takes place in the exam room between a physician and a patient.

The words "patient safety" likely won't be mentioned. But an exchange marked by openness and understanding between a patient and a physician can have a major impact on the quality and outcome of treatment.

A sense of shared responsibility between a patient and physician about care can improve the level of communication, creating a sense of mutual relationship and trust, and firming the bond between physician and patient as partners in care. To underscore physicians' commitment to seeking this partnership, the American Medical Association has joined with AARP to create a Web resource that outlines the parameters for an effective physician-patient relationship. The resources outline exactly what the physician needs from the patient, and what the patient needs from the physician, to work together for the best diagnoses and outcomes.

The AMA-AARP partnership includes links to various resources from both organizations about patient safety. But the centerpiece is a direct declaration of patient and physician responsibilities, with a set of paired promises from each side.