Last Updated: September 17, 2022, 07:05 IST
The goal of World Patient Safety Day is to work towards global solidarity to promote patient safety. (Representative image: Shutterstock)
World Patient Safety Day 2022: Patient safety includes doing everything correctly, from cleanliness procedures to keeping medical records safely to medication administration and patient diagnostics
WORLD PATIENT SAFETY DAY 2022: The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded all of us of the vital role the healthcare system plays to relieve suffering and ensuring public safety. Hospitals are without a doubt the safest place to obtain treatment for any medical issue, hence it is imperative for these institutions to offer top-notch healthcare facilities. World Patient Safety Day (WPS) is observed on September 17, every year.
The goal of WPS Day is to raise public awareness and engagement, enhance global understanding, and work towards global solidarity to promote patient safety. According to a WHO report, unreliable medical procedures impact one in ten patients worldwide. Therefore, the hospitals should demonstrate support and commitment to resolve and address these concerns and prioritize patient safety.
Patient safety includes doing everything correctly, from cleanliness procedures to keeping medical records safely to medication administration and patient diagnostics. While the problem is widespread in both developed and developing nations, let’s raise awareness of patient safety on this day.
Here are the 5 fundamental factors that can help hospital patient care and safety.
- Hand Hygiene
It is important for healthcare providers to use alcohol-based sanitisers regularly, and also raise awareness among patients about the importance of hand hygiene. The availability of alcohol-based rub and gloves at the bedside, as well as ongoing compliance monitoring, are essential requirements for the hospitals. Patient safety ought to be first and foremost. - Quick Response Technology
Building teams in such a way that they cooperate to implement team strategies and tools are necessary to improve performance and patient safety. Any healthcare environment, from ambulatory clinics to emergency rooms, can benefit from effective team communication and materials. This will guarantee a prompt response when a crisis arises. - Checklist
Doctors and other staff members should be careful and examine the reports, surgery rounds, and other treatment procedures several times. Numerous instances have been reported where a patient is treated for a different condition after being admitted for a different sickness. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed the most well-known surgical safety checklist in 2008, which reduced mortality rates at sites in both developed and developing countries from 1.5% to 0.8%. - Avoid using acronyms
Although they speed up the process and save time, acronyms can also cause a lot of misunderstanding. Avoid using acronyms. Don’t let something as little as mixing up names result in the loss of life. About 15,000 prescription errors a year have been attributed to using abbreviations such as u for unit and o.d. instead of once daily. Implementing automated physician order entry systems can also aid in eradicating the lingering effects of this issue. - Encourage reporting
There is an increase in the amount of public interest with regard to patient safety. Regardless of the circumstances, a mishap needs to be reported. This might be the only way to learn from mistakes and stop them from happening again. Such occurrences ought to be clearly described and accessible to the patient or their family members. As a result, patient safety will be improved and the federal and state governments will work more diligently and efficiently.
