SIDM Applaud President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
September 20, 2023
Alpharetta, GA: The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) applauds last week’s report to the President of the United States Joseph R. Biden from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
The report, “A Transformational Effort on Patient Safety,” notes that “Despite commitments to quality care by practitioners and their organizations, alarmingly high rates of medical errors and patient injuries persist” in U.S. health care. Citing nearly a decade of published research, the report specifically notes that “significant morbidity and mortality stems from misdiagnosis and inappropriate delays in care, including harmful delays in converging on diagnoses and delivering needed therapy after patients first engage with the medical system.”
The PCAST urges President Biden to use his leadership to “bring immediate and sustained attention to the urgent need to reduce harm to patients” through a nationwide transformational initiative to support all hospitals and practitioners with implementing evidence-based solutions and accelerating efforts to better understand and address patient safety challenges, including the harnessing of advances in computing technologies. PCAST’s goal is to move the U.S. healthcare system expeditiously towards zero preventable harm, so that every American receives dignified and safe care.
"A transformational movement to enhance patient safety is not a luxury but a necessity for a just and equitable healthcare system. It requires a multifaceted approach that includes collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to the well-being of all Americans. By embracing the PCAST recommendations, we can embark on a path toward safer healthcare and a brighter future for our nation's health" commented SIDM’s Chief Science and Medical Officer, Ronald Wyatt, MD, MHA.
About the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine
The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) catalyzes and leads change to improve diagnosis and eliminate harm from diagnostic error. SIDM works in partnership with patients, their families, the healthcare community, and every interested stakeholder. SIDM is the only organization focused solely on the problem of diagnostic error and improving the accuracy and timeliness of diagnosis. www.ImproveDiagnosis.org
About the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is a federal advisory committee appointed by the President to augment the science and technology advice available to him from inside the White House and from the federal agencies. PCAST is comprised of 28 of the Nation’s thought leaders, selected for their distinguished service and accomplishments in academia, government, and the private sector. PCAST advises the President on matters involving science, technology, and innovation policy, as well as on matters involving scientific and technological information that is needed to inform policy affecting the economy, worker empowerment, education, energy, the environment, public health, national and homeland security, racial equity, and other topics. www.whitehouse.gov/pcast