<p>World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is a day that calls for improvements in patient safety, recognizing the scale of avoidable harm linked to medical errors. It’s a day that welcomes conversation between patient organizations, healthcare professionals, caregivers, governments, communities, policy-makers and health care leaders to create strategies and take action to improve patient safety globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/patient-safety" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patient Safety</a> is a health care discipline that aims to “reduce risks, errors and harm that occur to patients during provision of health care.”</p>
<p>This year’s theme, created by <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/09/17/default-calendar/world-patient-safety-day-2021" target="_blank">WHO</a>, centers around, “Safe maternal and newborn care.” WHO chose this theme based on the risks and harm exposed to women and newborns through unsafe practice and care, lack of resources, shortage of midwives and healthcare workers and essential health services disruption. </p>
<h2>How can healthcare employers and providers show commitment to improving Patient Safety?</h2>
<p>For 2021’s theme, safe and supported care, administered by skilled and qualified professionals in protected environments, can reduce the high numbers of maternal and newborn deaths. Employers hiring healthcare staff to deliver such care must ensure that job applicants are qualified to do so. </p>
<p>External to maternal and newborn care, healthcare providers and employers can adopt a host of effective and innovative strategies to improve patient safety. The <a href="https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/2021/aug/23/announcing-world-patient-safety-day-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations</a> highlights the following ways for global healthcare actors to reduce patient harm in health care settings:</p>
<ul><li>Scaling up concerted global action on patient safety</li><li>Putting measures in place to reduce avoidable patient harm</li><li>Sharing awareness in patient safety in care settings</li><li>Raising awareness amongst the public and media on critical issues relating to patient safety</li><li>Experimenting with new ideas to improve patient safety</li><li>Helping patients to contribute to their own safety</li></ul>
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<p><strong>In addition</strong>, healthcare employers can:</p>
<ul><li>Engage with <a href="https://lp.trueprofile.io/recruit-medical-staff-free-trial/">credibl</a><a href="https://lp.trueprofile.io/recruit-medical-staff-free-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">e</a><a href="https://lp.trueprofile.io/recruit-medical-staff-free-trial/">, verified and qualified healthcare professionals</a> for safer health care<strong> </strong></li><li>Use the best <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/partner/resources/6-tips-to-create-the-ultimate-telemedicine-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">telemedicine</a> technology to deliver quality care to patients</li><li>Support and protect patient privacy and health-related data with secure and innovative blockchain technology</li><li>Remain innovative to keep up with changes to telehealth solutions, delivery and practices to continue quality care while ensuring patient safety</li></ul>
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<h2>5 Facts about Patient Safety:</h2>
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<ol><li>Almost 50% of harm caused to 1 in 10 patients in high-income countries is preventable.</li></ol>
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<ol><li>Unsafe care in hospitals in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) causes 134 million adverse events that result in 2.6 million deaths annually. </li></ol>
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<ol start="3"><li>Up to 80% of harm caused to 4 in 10 outpatient and primary care patients is preventable. </li></ol>
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<ol start="4"><li>Misdiagnosis, incorrect prescription and improper use of medicines are the most common detrimental errors impacting patient safety. </li></ol>
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<ol start="5"><li>Investments to improve patient safety can lead to significant financial savings and better patient outcomes. </li></ol>
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<p>WHO calls upon all stakeholders to “light up iconic monuments, landmarks, and public places in the colour orange.” on or around 17 September 2021. <strong>How does your medical organization contribute to Patient Safety 365 days of the year?</strong></p>
<h4>TrueProfile.io is committed to helping you source the best international healthcare professionals for your organization. We have access to over 150,000 verified healthcare professionals ready to be hired. If you’re looking to mitigate risk and reduce time-to-hire, <a href="https://lp.trueprofile.io/recruit-medical-staff-free-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">talk to us today</a>.</h4>