ISLAMABAD:World Patient Safety Day will be marked on September 17(Saturday) across the globe to raise awareness and drive worldwide intervention for the safety of patients.
The observance inspires countries across the globe to prioritize patient safety in the healthcare system.
The most basic definition of patient safety is putting an end to avoidable errors and negative practices suffered by patients within healthcare settings. Alongside the progress made in healthcare systems over the years, it has also become more complex with new technology, treatments, and medicines being introduced.
Patient safety highlights the importance of preventing or reducing the risks, errors, and avoidable harm suffered by healthcare patients. World Patient Safety Day is among the 11 global health campaigns sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The topic of patient safety emerged as a result of the increasing complexity of the healthcare system and the surge in cases of patient harm caused by errors and complacency. Cases of patient harm brought on by negligence are among the top causes of mortality in patients around the world.
Recent studies indicate that predominantly low- to middle-income nations record over 134 million cases of patient harm after receiving medical care. This results in about 2.6 million fatalities annually. High-income nations have relatively lower numbers with one in 10 suffering further complications after receiving medical care.
World Patient Safety Day was created in May 2019 when the World Health Assembly adopted the resolution for global action on patient safety. The global campaign was the brainchild of the series of Global Ministerial Summits on Patient Safety conducted annually since 2016. It involved strong advocacy and commitment from major international stakeholders.
Healthcare workers can improve patient safety by adopting several safe practices in administering care. It could be as simple as providing patients access to medical records and notes. Another effective measure is to directly involve patients and their caregivers in the decision-making process when delivering healthcare services. They should clearly understand their options regarding treatment and diagnosis.