Patient safety is a concept that aims to prevent and minimize risks of harm that occur to patients as they’re receiving medical care. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines patient safety as “the absence of preventable harm to a patient and reduction of risk of unnecessary harm associated with health care to an acceptable minimum.”
The concept and real-world practice of patient safety encompass a wide range of protocols, policies, approaches and cultures designed to protect patients from preventable injuries and to improve the overall standard of care within health care settings.
Key elements of comprehensive patient safety approaches
Every medical care setting is unique. Therefore, the patient safety measures employed by facilities vary. With that said, the following common elements are generally present when patient safety is being properly prioritized:
- Error prevention: This involves creating systems and protocols to prevent errors in medication administration, surgery, diagnostics and other health care services. It includes measures such as double-checking medication dosages, ensuring correct patient identification and standardizing procedures across health care settings.
- Risk management: Health care providers implement risk management strategies to identify potential safety issues before they result in harm. This proactive approach includes regular safety audits, patient feedback mechanisms and the analysis of near-misses to prevent future incidents.
- Education and training: Continuous education and training for health care professionals are vital to maintaining high patient safety standards. This includes updating staff on the latest best practices, technologies and safety protocols to ensure that care is delivered safely and effectively.
- Culture of safety: Cultivating a culture of safety within health care organizations encourages openness, accountability and continuous improvement. It involves creating an environment where health care professionals feel empowered to report errors and safety concerns without fear of retribution.
When patient safety issues are not sufficiently addressed, preventable harm may occur. When health care providers fail to adhere to established safety protocols and professional standards of care and patient harm occurs as a result, those affected patients may have grounds upon which to file medical malpractice claims to hold negligent providers legally accountable.
