Patient Safety Awareness Week: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about Patient Safety Awareness Week (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. Patient Safety Awareness Week is celebrated on March 12th.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of Patient Safety Awareness Week, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as important facts you may want to know about Patient Safety Awareness Week.

📅 What day is Patient Safety Awareness Week 2024?

In 2024, Patient Safety Awareness Week is on Sunday, March 12th. It is the 2nd Sunday in March; in 2024, it is Tuesday. There are until the next observance. You also can explore all the fun details and facts about March 12, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

Every year in March, Patient Safety Awareness Week takes place, spanning from March 12 to March 18. The purpose of this event is to increase awareness and education about healthcare safety. The World Health Organization has reported that millions of deaths occur each year due to unsafe hospital treatment. By encouraging conversations and promoting safety measures, the Institute for Health Care Improvement aims to enhance the safety of healthcare systems for both patients and caregivers, both locally and globally.

📜 Patient Safety Awareness Week History

Mistakes and safety breaches in medical care have been documented since the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the patient safety movement gained momentum. This movement was sparked by a study published in 1984 by Leape and Brennan, which revealed numerous instances of compromised patient safety among 30,000 hospitalized patients in New York State. The study found that these breaches were the result of avoidable medical errors, which potentially could have prevented around 1.3 million injuries and 180,000 deaths in the United States. In his 1994 book “Error in Medicine,” Leape emphasized that the responsibility for patient safety cannot be solely placed on medical professionals, but rather on all components of the healthcare system. Patient Safety Awareness Week highlights the significance of both healthcare providers and patients in ensuring overall safety. It is essential to recognize that patient safety is not solely the duty of one individual, but rather a collective responsibility shared by healthcare systems, personnel, and patients as a whole.

✅ Patient Safety Awareness Week Facts

🔖 Surgery complications threaten patient safety
Inadequate surgical procedures and insufficient care after surgery result in complications, frequently resulting in the unfortunate outcome of patient mortality.

🔖 Admitted hospital patients suffer infections
Approximately 10% of patients who are admitted to a hospital experience a healthcare-associated infection.

🔖 The most common patient safety issues
The most common risks to patient safety are misdiagnosis, receiving incorrect prescriptions, and the abuse of medications.

👍 Why Is Patient Safety Awareness Week Important

The week of patient safety awareness serves as a reminder. It commemorates the numerous lives lost as a result of inadequate medical safety.

It contributes to raising global awareness about the importance of patient, healthcare worker, and healthcare system safety. This contributes to a higher level of caution among healthcare workers.

The event raises awareness about patient safety. Educating the general population about the duties that patients must play to guarantee their own safety and health

🙂 How To Observe Patient Safety Awareness Week

⚡ Read up on patient safety
Familiarize yourself with journals or articles that discuss patient safety, including the responsibilities of patients, their families, and healthcare professionals in safeguarding and promoting patient well-being. Acquire knowledge about essential resources and safety protocols available to patients.

⚡ Join the online lecture
During the celebration, various online forums will be organized for healthcare professionals and stakeholders to engage in discussions. To actively participate in Patient Safety Awareness Week, you can register and attend one of the N.S.P.F.’s online safety lectures.

⚡ Share on social media platforms
To spread awareness about the importance of patient safety, you can either share posts or employ hashtags. By sharing your knowledge or personal experiences, you can educate others and contribute to the cause.

📅 When is Patient Safety Awareness Week?

You can view all 🔗 March holidays, including 🔗 Special Interest and other 🔗 Awareness holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and cool facts about Patient Safety Awareness Week. So be sure to check back soon.