Two initiatives on person centred medicine

I have heard, this week, of two (or two and half) initiatives on person centred medicine, both connected to the assiduous Juan Mezzich.

First, the collection of papers on 'Conceptual Bases of Psychiatry for the Person', to which I contributed a joint paper with Ken Schaffner, is to be the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Person Centered Medicine scheduled to appear in March 2011. (This replaces plans to publish in Psychopathology.) That also suggests - the half - that that new journal - co-edited by Juan Mezzich who also organised that collection of papers - will shortly be in operation.

Second, I have been invited to play a tiny role in another initiative: a "Consultation Group for the INPCM-WHO Project on Developing Measures to Assess Progress towards People-centered Care. This important study represents a new level of collaboration between our International Network for Person-centered Medicine and the World Health Organization. The results of the Study will be presented at the Fourth Geneva Conference on Person-centered Medicine on May 3, 2011, and published by the World Health Organization and the International Journal of Person Centered Medicine."

I made something of a blunder in briefly replying only to the sender and simply to say that I'd be happy to do what I can. Others have replied, copying all, to say how deeply honoured they are to be involved in such a prestigious venture. Maybe by mentioning it here I can make amends.