World Patient Safety Day is a holiday that’s observed every year on September 17th. It’s a day that’s designed to raise awareness about patient safety and to encourage healthcare providers, insurance companies, and organizations to take patient safety more seriously.

According to recent statistics, approximately one out of ten patients in the world is harmed while receiving care in a hospital. And nearly half of these “patient accidents” can be considered preventable. That’s why it’s important for everyone who has anything to do with patient care needs to observe this holiday.

This is a holiday that gives these professionals a chance to create a safer environment for their patients and it’s a day that gives a voice to so many people who rely on the medical care provided by their local hospital.

The History Of World Patient Safety Day

World Patient Safety Day is a holiday that was established by the 72nd World Health Assembly in 2019. They created the holiday by passing Resolution WHA72.6. It was a day to enhance the global understanding of patient safety and to work towards improving patient safety standards.

Every year, a new theme is released for this day. For example, in 2020, the theme was “Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety.” In 2021, the theme was “Act now for safe and respectful childbirth!” and in 2022, the theme was “Medication Safety.”

Some Important Facts About Patient Safety

Below are some facts about patient safety that everyone should be aware of. We think the following points are extremely important and hope they bring some clarity to not only this holiday but to patient safety itself.

• Unsafe care is one of the ten leading causes of disability and death across the world.
• Approximately 1 out of every 7 Canadian dollars is spent treating the effects of patient harm in hospitals.
• Hospitals that invest in patient safety are more likely to incur significant financial savings from year to year.
• Delayed or inaccurate diagnosis is one of the most common causes of patient harm.

Observing World Patient Safety Day

World Patient Safety Day is a holiday that all of us should observe. It’s important not just for people providing healthcare but also for the rest of us who aren’t in charge of patients.

After all, eventually, we’re all going to be patients of some medical facility at some point in our lives, so the experience should be as safe as humanly possible. We also encourage everyone to spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #WorldPatientSafetyDay on social media.