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European Commission heightens focus on patient safety
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Recently the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, also known as the ENVI Committee, unanimously approved a patient safety report and asked for safer health care on several levels. The text of the report specifically mentioned improving patient safety during hospitalizations and the efforts to stop antimicrobial resistance.
This not only brings into focus what previously has been achieved in patient safety in Europe, but also raises some important questions about the effectiveness of current practices used in the name of quality care.
As a health care provider and surgeon, I am very satisfied with our politicians’ ongoing interest in patient safety and health care-associated infections which not only result in much suffering for patients, but also increase the burden on health care budgets. According to survey results on patient safety published in 2014 by the European Commission, 53% of Europeans are fearful of the harm that may come to them in hospitals.
Such recognition of the public’s concern suggests real barriers exist throughout the European Union when it comes to ensuring patients receive the highest quality care possible.
Click here to read the full Commentary in the May issue of Orthopaedics Today Europe.