Join us to celebrate the World Patient Safety Day
"Improving diagnosis for patient safety"
Background
Every September 17th, World Patient Safety Day is commemorated, and this year's theme is "Improving Diagnosis for Patient Safety." In line with the WHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030 and the PAHO’s Strategy and Action Plan to Improve the Quality of Care in Health Services Delivery 2020-2025 for the Region of the Americas, the focus is on highlighting the importance of accurate and timely diagnosis to ensure patient safety and improve health outcomes.
With the slogan "Get it right, make it safe!", the WHO calls on all stakeholders to take necessary measures to prioritize diagnostic safety and adopt a multidimensional approach that strengthens systems, ensures safe diagnostic pathways, supports healthcare workers in making correct decisions, and engages patients throughout the diagnostic process. This approach aims to reduce diagnostic errors, which often arise from a combination of cognitive and system factors affecting the recognition of key patient signs and symptoms, as well as the interpretation and communication of test and study results.
Celebration
This year, we will celebrate with a virtual seminar that will provide patients, decision-makers, healthcare teams, and academics the opportunity to discuss and share their experiences and insights on how to enhance patient safety through improved timely and accurate diagnoses.
Event Objectives
- Promote the importance of diagnostic safety at all levels of healthcare.
- Foster collaboration among policymakers, healthcare leaders, healthcare workers, patient organizations, and other stakeholders to advance accurate, timely, and safe diagnosis.
- Engage patients and families to actively collaborate with healthcare workers and leaders to improve diagnostic processes.
Audience
Policymakers from Ministries of Health and other ministries, academics, healthcare leaders, healthcare professionals and workers, patient organizations, familes, and communities.
Agenda
Welcome and Moderation: Blanca Peñaloza, International Consultant on Quality of Health Systems and Services, PAHO/WHO.
Message for World Patient Safety Day: Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., Director of the Pan American Health Organization.
Introduction: Ernesto Báscolo, Unit Chief, Primary Health Care and Integrated Service Delivery Unit, PAHO/WHO.
Session 1: Safe Diagnoses, Safe Patients
- Irina Papieva (WHO)
Session 2: The Call to Patients: The Patient as the Protagonist of Their Own Safety
- Susan Sheridan (Patient Leader)
Session 3: The Call to Health Professionals and Care Processes:
- Bremen Murcio, Advisor on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women's Health, and Reproductive Health (CLAP), PAHO/WHO.
Session 4: The Call to Policymakers, Decision-Makers, and Directors of Institutions and HR for Health
- Eduardo Benjamín Puertas, Unit Chief, Human Resources for Health, PAHO/WHO.
Videos of Success Stories: Strategies applied from different approaches that have contributed to safe diagnoses.
Questions and Answers
Closing Remarks: James Fitzgerald, Director, Department of Health Systems and Services, PAHO/WHO.