For the first time, September 17, 2019 is being recognized as World Patient Safety Day to increase awareness about the importance of keeping patients safe when they are in the care of medical facilities. Unfortunately, approximately 2.6 million deaths occur annually across the world due to about 134 million events that take place under the provision of less-than-safe care in hospitals. These events typically take place in low- and middle-income countries, but they can happen anywhere. Statistics reveal that 4 out of 10 patients receive harm in the primary and ambulatory locations, however, almost 80% of these harmful situations can be avoided. The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to remind everyone that patient safety is at the top of global health priorities. In honor of the first World Patient Safety Day, the WHO is planning on launching a complete global campaign. This campaign is designed to encourage awareness of patient safety and urge people to commit to making healthcare safer for everyone involved. To do this, they are simply encouraging people to speak up and be an advocate for patient safety. Additionally, they are urging cities across the world to light up monuments, public spaces or natural features with the color orange in recognition of the first World Patient Safety Day. For example, the City of Geneva is lighting up the Jet d’Eau orange coloring to support World Patient Safety Day. The WHO encourages people to get involved with World Patient Safety Day by joining the campaign, engaging in events, and spurring global action. On the WHO website, they have provided posters and campaign materials that are available to promote World Patient Safety Day events. Patient safety centers around reducing risks in health care facilities and improving the level of service that patients receive. In order to reach this, the WHO describes how it is based on learning from errors and improving from them. Patient care includes prescribing the correct medication, being up-to-date on standard procedures, improving communication and reducing factors that often lead to an error. Some common patient safety situations that cause the most concern include:
- Medication Errors
- Health Care-Associated Infections
- Unsafe Surgical Care Procedures
- Unsafe Injection Practices
- Diagnostic Errors
- Unsafe Transfusion Practices
Ensuring that patients are under the provision of safe and high-quality care is a top priority for the global health initiative. Making patient safety a top priority in health care facilities is important to preserve the quality of care that is given to patients everywhere. When you are under the care of a medical professional at a health care facility, patients deserve the highest quality of care to ensure their safety and well0-being. However, if you have suffered an injury due to inadequate or poor care, you may be entitled to compensation. At Spiros Law, P.C., our attorneys are heavily experienced in dealing with these types of cases. If you have questions about a situation where you feel you did not receive adequate medical care, contact one of our attorneys today at (815) 929-9292 to receive a free consultation.
