68. Diagnostic Safety and the Power of Patient Voice

In this episode, host Desiree Collins-Bradley welcomes Janice Tufte, a nationally recognized patient advocate and diagnostic safety champion. Janice reflects on her personal and family history with missed diagnoses and how those experiences shaped her commitment to advancing diagnostic safety. 

Together, they unpack the importance of trusting your gut, asking questions, and understanding your right to seek second opinions. A central focus of the conversation is the CFER-DS (Common Formats for Event Reporting – Diagnostic Safety) initiative, funded by AHRQ. Janice shares her experience as a patient subject matter expert helping to shape the tool, with a focus on making it accessible, fillable, and usable across care settings. The episode highlights the need for transparency, AI-powered reporting tools, and a cultural shift that supports non-punitive safety reporting by both patients and clinicians. It closes with a call to action: “report, report, report” to help prevent future harm and improve diagnostic outcomes for all. 

Listeners will gain valuable insights into: 

• The personal and family experiences that shaped Janice Tufte’s passion for diagnostic safety. 

• The importance of empowering patients to question diagnoses and seek second opinions. 

• The CFER-DS (Common Formats for Event Reporting – Diagnostic Safety) initiative and how it supports diagnostic error reporting. 

• Challenges and opportunities in making diagnostic safety reporting accessible to patients and clinicians alike. 

• How cultural shifts, transparency, and AI can create safer, more equitable systems of care. 

Bio:

Janice Tufte is a nationally recognized patient advocate with over a decade of experience bridging lived experience with system change. She has co-led research like the LINCC project at Kaiser Washington and contributed to national efforts through PCORI, AcademyHealth, and multiple quality panels. Passionate about equity, she also leads grassroots work addressing poverty and addressing poverty and mentors patients nationwide.