Why in News: World Patient Safety Day observed on September 17 highlights persistent risks in healthcare delivery.
Context:
- Globally: 1 in 10 patients harmed during hospitalisation; 4 in 10 in outpatient care.
- In India: rising chronic disease burden (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental health disorders) increases safety risks.
Dimensions of Patient Harm
- Hospital-acquired risks: infections, blood clots, unsafe injections, unsafe transfusions.
- Everyday risks: wrong drug combinations, delayed diagnosis, preventable falls.
- Systemic issues: lack of coordination in acute care, staff burnout, high patient loads.
- Patient-side gap: uninformed or passive patients hesitant to ask questions.
Causes of Unsafe Care in India
1. Provider burden – heavy workload, long shifts, staff shortages.
2. Systemic lapses – weak infection control, fragile safety protocols.
3. Low accreditation levels – <5% hospitals NABH-accredited.
4. Policy-practice gap – frameworks exist but limited implementation.
5. Patient disengagement – limited awareness, poor reporting of adverse events.
Initiatives Taken
- National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (2018–25): roadmap for safety reporting, embedding practices.
- NABH accreditation: benchmarks for infection control, patient rights, medication safety.
- Pharmacovigilance networks: Society of Pharmacovigilance monitors drug reactions.
- Civil society role:
- Patient Safety & Access Initiative – works on medical device regulations.
- Patients for Patient Safety Foundation – awareness drives (14 lakh households weekly, 1,100 hospitals, 52,000 professionals).
Way Forward
1. Systemic Strengthening
- Expand hospital accreditation coverage.
- Institutionalise Patient Advisory Councils (PACs) for participatory decision-making.
- Integrate patient safety into medical/nursing curriculum.
2. Multi-stakeholder Role
- Government: Renew focus post-2025, mobilise resources, bridge policy–practice gap.
- Hospitals: Adopt technology to flag harmful interactions; conduct regular safety audits.
- Patients/Families: Active participation—ask questions, keep health records, report adverse events.
- Civil society & media: Disseminate awareness, highlight failures and success stories.
- Corporates: CSR funding for campaigns, workplace safety programs.
- Tech innovators: Design workflows for error-prevention and communication.
3. Global Guidance
- WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan: integrate safety at all levels.
- Lessons from high-income nations—PACs improved safety, trust, communication.
UPSC Relevance
GS-II (Governance & Health): patient rights, regulatory institutions, civil society role.
Mains Practice Question
Q. Patient safety is not only a professional responsibility but a shared social mission. Discuss the challenges in India’s healthcare safety framework and suggest systemic reforms to build a national patient safety movement.