The Disease Management Association of India (DMAI), the non-profit organization propagating disease management concept and tools in the country, recently submitted a patient safety report for India to the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO). DMAI is hopeful that GAPIO which has identified patient safety as one of its key priorities will consider the report and may appoint DMAI as the nodal agency for this initiative.


The patient safety report outlines a proposal to take stock of patient safety efforts in India and to make recommendations for the way forward.


In its proposal DMAI has suggested that the GAPIO platform could be used to undertake activities that will help in addressing some of the key issues faced in this area. DMAI is hopeful that with GAPIO's co-operation it would be possible to be a part of major initiatives that drive the patient safety agenda in India which includes the work of ICHA, NIPS, NHSRC, Apollo, MAX etc.


According to Rajendra Pratap Gupta, president and director, DMAI, “Through collaboration in this field we would also be able to review the findings and identify opportunities for accelerating planned developments so as to fill gaps and to make recommendations to various organisations along with creating a roadmap for action over the next five years.”


He further suggested that to convert this ideas into reality a committee should be created to deliver the objectives on patient safety, which will consist of representatives from the various organisations leading the work in India, with Dr Nikhil Datar who is the secretary and board member of DMAI acting as the secretary for the Group.


“Once constituted, the Group will largely work virtually with two physical meetings where each representative will be invited to write about the work their organisation is undertaking, their successes and challenges, and their aspirations for the future. All these individual reports could be collated to review this ‘raw’ data with a view to decide next steps in terms of how to accelerate implementation and what gaps exists and how to fill them,” informed Gupta.


Sources from DMAI informed that the proposal suggests that depending on the outcome of the discussions, further consideration will be given to the future work plan and organisational arrangements to be put in place for ongoing development and delivery of the action plan.


Association informed that an estimate for the work is Rs.10 lakh, which is exclusive of costs of publication and dissemination of the final report. Whereas, additional costs for the work that has been identified will be reviewed after Jan 2012.


DMAI is yet to receive a reply from the GAPIO but are hopeful that their proposal will soon be considered.