Healthcare workers all across the world takepride in being able to make a positive impact on patients’ health. In return,patients consider hospitals and healthcare facilities to be safe houses wherethey can go to get better. Though this is true in essence, practicallyspeaking, there are numerous hurdles that prevent healthcare facilities frombecoming the safe houses they are envisioned to be. It is not uncommon forpatient safety to be compromised in a healthcare facility. It is estimated that4 out of every 10 patients are harmed globally due to unsafe practices,however, what’s shocking is that 80% of these mishaps are preventable.

This is why patient safety should be of utmostimportance in healthcare settings. Lapses in the judgment of healthcare workerscan cause reversible, irreversible, and sometimes even fatal injuries topatients. Medical professionals are now focussing their attention on preventingsuch mishaps and improving safe patient care.

Patient safety is also picking up pace inPakistan. Around eighty healthcare facilities in the country are set toimplement the Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI). This is aset of evidence-based practices that will be implemented by the World HealthOrganisation to help improve patient safety in hospitals and reduce the chancesof medical errors.

To help further this practice, we’ve compileda short list of the most important factors healthcare workers and patientsthemselves should be wary of in a healthcare setting to ensure patient safety!

• Set a list of patient safety protocols

It is imperative for healthcare facilities to set a list of well-known patient safety guidelines that are to be followed by all employees. These guidelines must be set by the management of the healthcare facility and must be comprehensive and thorough. This will help to ensure that medical mishaps that compromise patient safety are eliminated. A comprehensive list of appropriate guidelines can be found on the WHO website as well.

• Ensure all employees understand and implement patient safety guidelines

Devising guidelines is only half of the process of ensuring patient safety. These guidelines must be properly implemented to be effective as well. The healthcare facility must ensure that all healthcare workers are well aware of the facility’s policies and follow them thoroughly

• Focus on patient-centered care

Patient-centered care, as the name suggests, revolves entirely around the well being of the patient. There is no cost-cutting or other factors involved that would compromise patient care in any way. This approach must be fully enforced in healthcare settings to reduce the chances of errors that compromise patients.

• Inform patients of their treatment and take their full consent

A lot of the times, physicians and healthcare workers carry out treatments without the full informed consent of the patient. Since most of the time patients are non-medical professionals they are unsure of what is happening with them and how they can help improve their own health. However, it is imperative for doctors to inform patients of the progress of their case and what their treatment plan is. This not only helps improve patient compliance but also helps to ensure patient safety.

• Ensure regular checks of the hospital, staff, and patients

The larger a healthcare facility, the more are the chances of patient safety being compromised. Even smaller facilities with less monitoring have issues regarding patient safety. Therefore, to ensure all set policies are being followed and patient safety is being prioritized in every setting, it is important to regularly monitor the whole facility.

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