Patient Safety in India: Challenges and Initiatives

Globally, patient safety remains a critical concern, with significant harm occurring during both hospital and outpatient care. In India, this issue is exacerbated by the shift towards managing chronic diseases, which require frequent and complex treatments, increasing the risk of safety lapses.

Challenges in Patient Safety

• Globally, 1 in 10 patients experience harm during hospital care, increasing to 4 in 10 in outpatient settings.
• Chronic conditions such as cancer and diabetes demand long-term care, heightening safety risks.
• Medical harm often arises from poor coordination among specialties in acute care.
• Common patient safety issues include hospital-acquired infections, inappropriate prescriptions, and delayed diagnoses.

Factors Contributing to Unsafe Care

• Healthcare providers face extreme pressures, including staff shortages and long shifts, leading to errors.
• A gap exists due to overburdened providers and uninformed, passive patients.

Current Efforts to Enhance Patient Safety

• The National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (2018–2025) provides a comprehensive roadmap.
• Professional bodies like the Society of Pharmacovigilance monitor adverse drug reactions.
• The NABH sets high standards for patient safety, though accreditation is limited to less than 5% of hospitals.

Role of Civil Society and Other Stakeholders

• Organizations like the Patient Safety & Access Initiative of India Foundation work on regulatory clarity.
• Media, educational institutions, and technology innovators have roles in promoting safety.

Global and National Frameworks

• The WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan advocates for integrating safety across healthcare systems.
• Patient Advisory Councils (PACs) are effective in enhancing safety and trust.

Call to Action

• India must focus on meeting the objectives of the National Patient Safety Implementation Framework by 2025.
• Hospitals should aim for accreditation and adopt PACs for better patient involvement.
• This year's emphasis is on ensuring safe care for newborns and children.

With coordinated efforts from governments, hospitals, patients, and civil society, patient safety can become a reality, ensuring safe healthcare delivery in India.