The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) catalyzes and leads change to improve diagnosis and eliminate harm from diagnostic error, in partnership with patients, their families, the healthcare community and every interested stakeholder.
SIDM’s Speakers Bureau offers direct access to thought leaders in the diagnostic quality and safety world. SIDM speakers are among the best in their fields, with expertise on topics ranging from diagnostic error and quality improvement efforts to patient engagement, and more. Our speaking engagements can be tailored to meet your time and content needs. Whether you are hosting a meeting, workshop, conference or webinar, our speakers will educate and motivate your audience to action toward reducing the harm of diagnostic error and improving diagnostic accuracy and timeliness.
While each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis, for-profit companies are typically expected to provide an honorarium and reimbursement of travel expenses. Costs for non-profits and all health institutions will be considered for subsidization based on factors such as Coalition membership, the size of the expected audience, and other factors that signal the commitment to improving diagnosis.
Our Experts
Jennie Ward-Robinson, Ph.D
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Ward-Robinson is a transformational leader known for engaging diverse interests and stakeholders to produce systemic solutions to human development challenges. She has over 20 years of executive leadership within academic, multilateral, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. Her expertise includes strategic planning, operations management, brand positioning, fund development, and delivering mission-linked outcomes.
Gerard M. Castro
Director of Quality Improvement
Dr. Gerry Castro is Director of Quality Improvement of SIDM. Prior to joining SIDM he was the Project Director for Patient Safety Initiatives in the Office of Patient Safety at the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (Joint Commission). His professional efforts are focused on improving patient safety through defining and applying evidence-based strategies in health care. Dr. Castro was the Principal Investigator for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT project “Investigations of Health IT-related Deaths, Serious Injuries or Unsafe Conditions.”
Suz Schrandt
Senior Patient Engagement Advisor
Suz Schrandt is a patient and patient advocate with a health and disability law and policy background. She is the founder of ExPPect, a patient engagement initiative focused on elevating patients to critical roles in improving health care and medical education. Schrandt has previously held positions at the Arthritis Foundation, PCORI, the Kansas Health Institute, and has spent over 20 years as a patient instructor in clinical training initiatives aimed at increasing early diagnosis and appropriate, patient-centered management of chronic disease.
The Topics that Matter
Subject matter experts from SIDM are available to speak on a variety of topics, including those listed below.
Diagnostic Quality & Safety
- The Need for Improved Diagnostic Quality and Safety
- Epidemiology of the Problem
- Causes of Diagnostic Error
- The Impact of Health Informatics on Diagnostic Quality and Safety
- The Role of the Clinical Laboratory in Improving Diagnosis
Quality Improvement
- Root Cause Analysis Methodology
- Engaging Physicians in Diagnostic Process Improvement
- Reducing Diagnostic Error in Clinical Settings
- Diagnostic Error Change Packages
Patient Engagement
- Partnering with Patients to Improve Diagnosis
- Patient Engagement and Public Policy
- Integrating the Patient Perspective in Research