September 17 - World Patient Safety Day

Recognizing patient safety as a key healthcare priority, the World Health Assembly, at its 72nd session on May 25, 2019, adopted resolution WHA72.6 "Global Action on Patient Safety" and declared September 17 as World Patient Safety Day.

The general objectives of World Patient Safety Day are to increase the understanding of patient safety issues worldwide, enhance public engagement in ensuring the safety of healthcare, and promote actions aimed at improving patient safety and reducing patient harm globally.

Patient safety is a prerequisite for the provision of quality essential healthcare services. There is no doubt that quality healthcare services worldwide must be effective, safe, and people-centered. Furthermore, quality healthcare implies the provision of timely, equitable, comprehensive, and efficient services.

Currently, the definition of patient safety is primarily associated with preventing healthcare professionals' errors during the provision of medical care and minimizing the risk of adverse events, taking into account available knowledge, resources, and the conditions under which medical care is provided.

Safe healthcare begins with correct, quality, open communication between doctor and patient. Patient openness in communication with healthcare professionals (informing about their sensations during examinations, medication intake, use of traditional medicine treatments) influences the safety of treatment. Self-medication should be avoided; it is better to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow their recommendations, including those regarding daily routines, diet, and physical activity, and undergo regular preventive (dispensary) check-ups.

Medication and surgical safety, environmental safety and patient care organization, and emergency and urgent care provision are a small fraction of the main areas for ensuring the quality and safety of medical activities, which must be observed in all medical organizations.

Unsafe medication practices and medication errors are among the leading causes of preventable harm to patients in healthcare facilities worldwide. Medication errors occur where systemic deficiencies in the organization of drug therapy, as well as human factors such as fatigue, unsatisfactory working conditions, or staff shortages, affect the correctness of prescribing, recording, dispensing, administration, and monitoring of drugs, which in turn can cause serious harm to the patient, lead to disability, or even death.

Everyone strives to provide high-quality and safe medical care, and yet, according to the World Health Organization:

- adverse events caused by unsafe healthcare are one of the 10 leading causes of death and disability worldwide;

- harm caused by a number of adverse events can be prevented in almost 50% of cases;

- worldwide, 4 out of 10 patients are harmed during the provision of primary and outpatient medical care;

- non-compliance with safety rules in surgical care causes complications in almost 25% of patients.

The observance of World Patient Safety Day should draw even more public attention to safety issues and contribute to improving the safety, quality of life, and health of citizens.

State Institution "Rassonsky RCGE", 2023.