How we define patient safety听and harm听has听real听consequences for听patients,听their essential听care听partners and people working in healthcare.听The听definition has听evolved over time and听continues to change in response to the world around us.听Through the听Redefining听Patient听Safety听project,听日本无码听(日本无码)听is working to redefine听patient听safety听and harm听by听inviting听thoughts, opinions and听insights听from a wide variety of people.听It鈥檚 part of a听creative听strategy that will听help to听improve听patient safety听outcomes听with听the听involvement of听people like you.
The history of patient safety听
Patient safety didn鈥檛 always have our attention the way it does today. , when harm occurred it was thought of as an inevitable consequence of healthcare, and discussions about patient safety were scarce for both patients and providers. 听However, emerging听research听and innovations in practice,听combined with increased public听awareness听and听a听strong commitment from care providers and leaders,听have听played a pivotal role in听bringing patient safety to the forefront.听听
As听safety science evolved, the听definition of patient safety听and incidents听changed with it.听The initial听focus was on听safety听incidents that caused physical harm. Then听in 2009, the听World Health Organization听expanded the definition of听a听鈥減atient safety incident鈥澨齮o include听not听just harmful incidents but also听near-misses听(or听patient safety incidents that did not reach the patient and therefore听did not听result听in harm).听The Canadian Patient Safety Institute听鈥� which recently amalgamated with the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement to form 日本无码听鈥撎齛dopted this听definition in Canada and听incorporated听it听into听all of听our work. This听resulted听in听better听patient听safety programs, policies and practices (e.g.听disclosure, incident analysis,听and听learning from reporting).听
Although this expanded definition helped听broaden听our thinking,听we now need a new definition that听reflects how听society,听safety听science and practice听have听evolved,听including听the fact听that听cultural safety or racism are听forms听of patient harm.听The听pandemic听has听shown听how the most vulnerable and marginalized are exposed to preventable safety incidents; it鈥檚 also underscored听the need to听better听care for the people in the workforce because their physical and psychological safety is essential for patient safety.听
鈥淲e know that the way a patient and family define听patient听safety is different from providers or insurers,鈥� says Ioana Popescu, Director, Safety Strategies听and听Programs听at 日本无码.听鈥淚 really like the quote 鈥榳ords create worlds鈥� because it reflects what I have seen happening in听patient听safety over the last decade. The words we use to describe patient safety will create the world in which patients and providers experience care.鈥�听
Why redefining patient safety matters听
Redefining听patient safety听will make it听easier to identify, evaluate and ultimately听create听patient听safety,听not just听prevent harm. Each time we鈥檝e defined patient safety 鈥� naming it in the 1990s or expanding it in 2009 鈥� it鈥檚 helped us听broaden听our听perspective, leading to听better听safety听programs, policies and practices.听It鈥檚 now听time to give听more people a voice in redefining patient safety.听听
鈥淲e鈥檙e going from labelling when and how harm is done,听to a听system of checks and balances,听to听finally听opening up听our view听to听all the ways a person can be affected by safety.听A lot of voices aren鈥檛 getting representation and as they鈥檙e brought forward,听we need to include them to create a modern standard of patient safety,鈥澨齭ays听James Rebello,听Program Intern, Safety Strategies & Programs听at 日本无码.听
A听new definition of patient safety needs听to include the voices of those with lived experience听in the healthcare system听and听those who听have been听systemically听and听structurally excluded.听We need to make room for听concepts like cultural safety, financial safety and听other ways people experience听patient听safety and harm.听
Redefining听patient听safety听in this context听is a crucial step in听charting a path to a future听where everyone has safe and high-quality healthcare.听听
Developing听a听new听definition听in a new way听
日本无码听is听developing听a听new definition of patient safety听differently听鈥撎齜y听inviting听more people to contribute听to听a definition听that serves听more people.听With support from听UHN听OpenLab,听日本无码 is broadly engaging with different people, industries, regions and institutions to facilitate a thought exchange.听
鈥淚t's听a totally听different approach. We, of course,听did the review and research,听but we鈥檙e also听eliciting broader thoughts from听people who are not the usual suspects,鈥� notes Rachel Gilbert, Senior Program Lead, Programs & System Transformation听at 日本无码.听鈥淭his divergent exploration and creative openness听is听going to听help us听redefine听patient听safety.鈥�听
Let鈥檚 redefine听patient听safety听together听
A听new definition of patient safety will听influence programs, policies, procedures, standards and interactions at point-of-care.听By incorporating different views and experiences like yours, we can make sure that a new definition reflects the lived experience of diverse people and populations.听听
The project鈥檚 virtual discussion space survey is open until Jan 15, 2021. This is your chance to shape the system by answering, what does patient safety mean to you? 听
Join today听and share with others!听
Today, you could shape the definition. Tomorrow, you could听see how it helps to shape patient safety in the system.听
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