Bled, one of the Alpian jewels, generously offered its beautiful backdrop for the International Workshop on Medical Errors. The Department of General Medicine at the University of Ljubljana, The Slovene Association of General Practitioners and the National Institute of Health hosted the 11th EURACT workshop Sept. 3 through Sept. 7 at Bled, Slovenia.

The course, after 10 years popularly named "the Bled Course", is organized under the patronage of the European Academy of Teachers in General Practice and with the support of the EURACT Service Function Task Force. EURACT council members also serve as additional resource persons.

The purpose of the course was to address medical errors, which are a part of a doctors' reality and, as the experts agree, require a systematic and rational approach. The course material for the participants was supplied in advance. A total of 45 family doctors from many different countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ireland, Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Italy, Turkey and Slovenia), all working as general practitioners involved in teaching general practice, attended presentations, plenary sessions, open discussions and case reports. Most afternoons were devoted to work in small groups.

The plenaries touched the main issues concerning medical errors: Introduction to medical errors; Preventing errors; When errors occur; Learning from medical errors; Facing consequences; and Dealing with media. Various techniques of teaching were employed, from lectures and role playing, to case report presentations and video evaluation.

A press conference was held during the course at the Park Hotel Bled. According to expectations, the reporters found the theme attractive. The day after the conference, the articles about the course appeared on the front pages of the two main Slovenian newspapers and a notice was broadcasted on the main Slovene national radio station. Educational, cultural and political perspectives on medical erros were presented admirably by Dr. Yonah Yaphe from Israel, Dr. Jaime Correia de Sousa from Portugal and Dr. Gianlouigi Passerini from Italy, who were also interviewed by the press as the Course Directors. Some of the answers were also provided by Professor Igor Švab, the Course Chairman and by Assistant Professor Janko Kersnik. During the course, it was interesting to compare the different legal pathways, the various ways of reporting and the cultural differences which also reflect in dealing with medical errors. The disclosure of personal experiences from their own practices, this time in the friendly environment of their colleagues, provided some relief, if not even Ballint group therapy, for the participants.

This year's social program included a dancing course of polka and merenge, a slow food session and a guided tour of Ljubljana including a visit to the family medicine department at the university. There, an unexpected basketball game and a bowling tournament took place... But that is yet another story.

Hopefully, at the end of the course the objectives were fulfilled. The participants understand the extent of the problem of medical errors; They understand medical errors in the context of their everyday routine and principles of general practice; They learn to use strategies for dealing with medical errors in their practices; and they can apply strategies in practical situations. The groups were also asked to develop a teaching strategy/module for medical errors in general practice. One of the groups designed a workshop for teaching about medical errors, which they will present at the WONCA Europe 2003 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. So, there is one more reason for you to come to Wonca Europe, June 18-21, 2003 in Ljubljana!

However, there is a dilemma: should you come to WONCA in June or to the next Bled course in September? Why don't you come to both?! You are cordially welcome, indeed!

Nena Kopèavar Guèek, MD
Assistant Teacher
Specialist in General Medicine
Department of Family Medicine
Medical School
University of Ljubljana
nenagucek@hotmail.com