Project description
Teamwork to reduce medical errors
The World Health Organization estimates that patient harm is the 14th leading cause of the global disease burden, similar in impact to tuberculosis and malaria. One adverse event resulting in patient harm is diagnostic error (incorrect or delayed diagnosis), and in the emergency room, this rate can rise to 35 %. The EU-funded TeamUp project will work to improve teamwork diagnosis in order to reduce diagnostic errors. Specifically, it will identify mechanisms and present the performance benefits of teams in the diagnostic decision process. It will also find effective ways to combine individual work with teamwork as well as interaction patterns that make teams successful. The project will conduct computer-based experiments involving medical students and carry out a simulation study involving real emergency teams.
Objective
According to the European Commission’s report „Patient Safety and Quality of Care“ (2014), each year, 8 to 12% of hospitalized patients suffer from adverse events, mostly diagnostic errors. Environments such as the emergency room are particularly vulnerable with up to 35% diagnostic errors. Research into how to reduce diagnostic errors has so far focused on how to train, educate, or technically support the individual physician—thus largely neglecting an integral aspect of clinical diagnosis: its collaborative character. In fact, the National Academy of Medicine has only recently suggested that teamwork is key to reduce the unacceptably high incidence of diagnostic error worldwide (2015).
The goal of the project “TeamUp” is to advance the understanding of decision processes in teams in uncertain environments such as the emergency room, and ultimately, to inform theory-based interventions to achieve diagnostic excellence. In detail, to scrutinize the determinants of high diagnostic accuracy, the project aims to (1) identify mechanisms and locate performance benefits of teams in the diagnostic decision process, (2) find effective ways to combine individual with teamwork, (3) identify interaction patterns that render teams successful, and (4) to transfer findings to teaching material for dissemination among end-users. To deliver these aims, the project draws on three research streams, namely judgment and decision making, small group research and diagnostic error research, which are so far largely unconnected. “TeamUp” contains two computer-based experiments involving medical students, a simulation study involving real emergency teams, and a dedicated dissemination phase. The project will lead to a reduction of diagnostic errors, avoid unnecessary treatments, save healthcare costs, and ultimately enhance patient safety.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3012 Bern
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.