Patient Safety Movement Foundation's mid-year meeting charts course for global patient safety initiatives in 2024

The US Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF) convened its annual Mid-Year Event to discuss safety challenges in the healthcare system that result in millions of preventable deaths around the world. Keynote addresses and roundtable discussions with renowned patient safety experts in a variety of fields focused on macro-level strategies to create a safer healthcare system with zero preventable harm.

A keynote by Carol Peden, Co-Chair of the Right Care Initiative, discussed lessons learned from the implementation of evidence-based strategies, including data transparency, and ways to reduce racial and socio-economic disparities in healthcare. Another keynote from David C. Stockwell, the Chief Medical Officer at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, examined next steps in applying the recommendations of the recent PCAST report to President Biden on the urgent need to addresses widespread preventable harms at U.S. hospitals. Albert Wu, MD, Director at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research, discussed the importance of “just culture” and creating a blame-free culture in which individuals are able to report errors without fear of punishment.

Joe Kiani, Founder of the Patient Safety Movement Foundation, stated, “From day one, we’ve worked to break the silos across the entire healthcare ecosystem to develop solutions informed by all stakeholders, including patients, and with multidisciplinary expertise. The mid-year meeting this year looked at solutions that will help us reach zero preventable harm faster. Momentum is everything. We see a clear pathway toward eliminating preventable medical errors, but we all have a part to play. We need to take action out of kindness.”

“We have an enormous opportunity to save lives around the world,” stated Dr. Mike Durkin, Chair of the Patient Safety Movement Foundation. “It’s now time to bounce back from the impact of the pandemic, during which we learned firsthand of the dangers to patients and healthcare workers. We now need to maintain our momentum to reduce harm and work ceaselessly and collaboratively in all healthcare settings. This year, the World Health Organization will focus on diagnostic safety. We must continue to listen to our patients, their families, and healthcare workers and provide them a platform so that they feel safe in telling their stories without fear.”

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Source: Financial Post, 26 January 2024