Going Global with Choosing Wisely
Choosing Wisely is international, and the proof was in three separate large-scale meetings the drew hundreds of participants throughout Europe this fall. Physicians, nurses, insurers, administrators, academics, medical students and consumer representatives came together to discuss Choosing Wisely campaigns in their corners of the world – and how other countries can launch their own campaigns.
Choosing Wisely 2017 Value Added Care Conference, September 11, Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Approximately 250 Dutch participants attended, and guest speakers from around the world gave their vision of the latest developments around “wise choices.” This included asking and answering the following questions: “What can we do to promote good treatment choices in care? What have we achieved and what challenges are there? What initiatives are there and what can we learn from each other?” The conference closed with inspiring remarks from a Dutch medical student, who just the day before was part of the full-day launch of the STARS (Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship) program in the Netherlands. Read more about STARS.
Choosing Wisely International Roundtable, September 12 and 13, Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Representatives from over 20 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States gathered to talk about Choosing Wisely. The meeting focused on four main objectives: stimulating growth and development of new and existing campaigns around the world; strategic planning around the concept of Choosing Wisely International; how to engage with and inspire new countries interested in Choosing Wisely; and how to consider funding for collaborative work in various nations, including research, measurement, and implementation of a strategic plan.
Choosing Wisely Switzerland Symposium, September 15, Lugano, Switzerland: This event brought together approximately 400 Swiss participants and guest speakers from Europe and North America. It was the second bi-annual event and featured morning sessions about shared decision making between physicians and patients and afternoon sessions dedicated to discussing measurement and monitoring.