World Patient Safety Day

Recognizing that Patient Safety is a global health priority, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution (WHA 72.6 ‘Global action on patient safety’ ) on Patient Safety which endorsed the establishment of World Patient Safety Day to be observed annually by Member States on 17 September.

The first World Patient Day was observed during 2019.

What is Patient Safety?

Patient Safety is a health care discipline that emerged with the evolving complexity in health care systems and the resulting rise of patient harm in health care facilities. It aims to prevent and reduce risks, errors and harm that occur to patients during provision of health care. A cornerstone of the discipline is continuous improvement based on learning from errors and adverse events.

Patient safety is fundamental to delivering quality essential health services. Indeed, there is a clear consensus that quality health services across the world should be effective, safe and people-centred. In addition, to realize the benefits of quality health care, health services must be timely, equitable, integrated and efficient.    

To ensure successful implementation of patient safety strategies; clear policies, leadership capacity, data to drive safety improvements, skilled health care professionals and effective involvement of patients in their care, are all needed.

Burden of patient harm

Patient safety in health care is an urgent and serious global public health concern. Patient harm exerts a very high burden on all health care systems across the world. Every year, an inadmissible number of patients suffer injuries or die because of unsafe and poor quality health care. Most of these injuries are avoidable. The burden of unsafe care broadly highlights the magnitude and scale of the problem. 

• Patient harm due to adverse events is likely to be among the 10 leading causes of death and disability worldwide.
• Most of these deaths and injuries are avoidable.
• It is commonly reported that around 1 in 10 hospitalized patients experience harm, with at least 50% being preventable.  
• Around two-thirds of all adverse events resulting from unsafe care, and the years lost to disability and death, occur in LMICs.

It is estimated that the cost of harm associated with the loss of life or permanent disability, which results in lost capacity and productivity of the affected patients and families, amounts to trillions of US dollars every year. Furthermore, the psychological cost to the patient and their family (associated with the loss or disabling of a loved one), is certainly significant, though more difficult to measure.

Theme for 2024

The theme for this year’s World Patient Safety Day’s is focused on improving diagnosis for patient safety, using the slogan “Get it right, make it safe!”. On the day, patients and families, health workers, health care leaders, policy makers and civil society will emphasize the pivotal role of correct and timely diagnosis in improving patient safety.

A diagnosis identifies a patient’s health problem. To reach a diagnosis, patients and their health care teams must work together to navigate the complex and sometimes lengthy diagnostic process. It involves discussion with the patient, examination, testing and review of results before reaching the final diagnosis and treatment. Errors can occur at any stage and can have significant consequences. Delayed, incorrect or missed diagnosis can prolong illness and sometimes cause disability or even death.  

Objectives of World Patient Safety Day 2024

• Raise global awareness of errors in diagnosis contributing to patient harm and emphasize the pivotal role of correct, timely and safe diagnosis in improving patient safety.
• Give prominence to diagnostic safety in patient safety policy and clinical practice at all levels of health care, aligned with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030.
• Foster collaboration among policy-makers, health care leaders, health workers, patient organizations, and other stakeholders in advancing correct, timely and safe diagnosis.
• Empower patients and families to actively engage with health workers and health care leaders to improve diagnostic processes.

Key messages

• Understand and engage in the diagnostic journey. Ensure you understand the diagnostic process, including the steps that you and your health care team will take to determine your diagnosis. Adhere to prescribed treatment plans and attend follow-up appointments.
• Ensure continuity, accuracy and validity of information. Regularly check your health records to ensure that all information is documented, accurate and up to date.
• Speak up with concerns about your diagnosis and care. When there is a concerning change in your or your family member’s condition, promptly escalate the issue to your health care team. 
• Contribute to learning and improvement. Engage in follow-up and provide feedback to your health care team about your diagnosis and treatment effectiveness.

Related resources

1. Patient safety - WHO resources

Source : WHO