Relevance:
On Wednesday 18 September
Content:
World Patient Safety Day, observed annually on September 17, emphasizes the critical role of accurate and timely diagnosis in ensuring patient safety. The theme for this year is “Get it right, make it safe!”, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts among patients, healthcare teams, and policymakers in navigating the complex diagnostic process.
World Patient Safety Day Key Highlights:
1. Understanding Diagnosis:
A diagnosis is essential in identifying a patient’s health problem, necessitating a collaborative effort between patients and their healthcare teams. The diagnostic process involves multiple steps, including patient discussions, examinations, testing, and review of results, leading to a final diagnosis and treatment plan.
2. Impact of Diagnostic Errors:
Errors in the diagnostic process can occur at any stage and may have severe consequences, including prolonged illness, disability, or death. Diagnostic errors, which account for 16% of preventable patient harm, encompass missed, incorrect, delayed, or miscommunicated diagnoses,
worsening patient outcomes and increasing healthcare costs.
Key Messages of the Campaign:
Correct and Timely Diagnosis: Timely diagnosis is fundamental for preventative interventions and effective treatment.
Understanding the Diagnostic Process: Familiarity with the iterative steps in the diagnostic process is essential for reducing errors, which include initial patient presentation, history taking, examination, diagnostic testing, communication of results, and follow-up.
Solutions to Diagnostic Errors:
- For Policymakers: Foster positive workplace environments and provide quality diagnostic tools.
- For Health Workers: Encourage continuous skill development and address unconscious bias in judgment.
- For Patients: Support active engagement throughout the diagnostic journey.
Collaborative Effort:
Achieving a correct and timely diagnosis requires collaboration among patients, families, caregivers, health workers, healthcare leaders, and policymakers. All stakeholders must be involved in shaping the diagnostic process and empowered to voice concerns.
Global Initiative:
To raise awareness about the importance of accurate diagnosis for patient safety, a campaign to illuminate buildings, landmarks, and monuments worldwide will take place. Notably, the iconic Jet d’Eau in Geneva will be lit up as a symbol of shared commitment to diagnostic safety.
Read more: Governors – Role, Qualifications, Functions and Powers
