[Preliminary evaluation of Chile's First Citizen Consensus Conference]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Science and Technology Policy
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Citizen consensus conferences, originating in Denmark, engage laypersons and experts to address science and technology issues.
• The Pan American Health Organization supports these conferences to improve science-society dialogue in Latin America.
• The First Citizen Consensus Conference in Santiago, Chile, focused on

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an initial assessment of the First Citizen Consensus Conference held in Chile.
• To evaluate the adaptation of the Danish consensus conference methodology to Chilean conditions.
• To examine the conference's effectiveness in bridging gaps between the public, experts, and policymakers.

Main Methods:

• Initial assessment of the First Citizen Consensus Conference.
• Adaptation and evaluation of the Danish consensus conference methodology.
• Planned external evaluation of outcomes and impact (media, public debate, decision-making, perceptions) 6-12 months post-conference.

Main Results:

• The conference successfully adapted the Danish consensus conference model to the Chilean context.
• Despite noted criticisms and shortcomings, all conference objectives were met.
• The event established a valuable model for future citizen consensus conferences in the Americas.

Conclusions:

• The First Citizen Consensus Conference in Chile achieved its objectives, demonstrating the applicability of the consensus model.
• The conference serves as an excellent precedent for similar initiatives in other Latin American countries.
• Further evaluation will assess the long-term impact on public engagement and decision-making regarding medical record management.