On the occasion of the first-ever World Patient Safety Day observed on 17th September, P.D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mahim, conducted awareness programs on 16th and 17th September 2019 with an attempt to reach out to maximum number of people to create awareness about prioritizing patient safety as a global health priority to urge people and healthcare professionals to show their commitment towards making healthcare safer.

In a first, the hospital lit up the Hinduja Hospital building in ‘Orange’ colour as per the WHO colour code to show their commitment to the safety of patients.  

As a part of the initiative, Dr. Anjali Shetty, Consultant Microbiologist, and Dr. Rishi Kumar, Consultant General Medicine alongside the trained hospital staff conducted sessions on “Rational Use of Antibiotics” and “CPR Training”. These sessions were conducted in partnership with the patients to spread awareness on a patient safety culture. The intention is to create awareness amongst the public on the key issues relating to patient safety and ideas to improve the same. This initiative will help to encourage the development of systems and procedures for the elimination of all avoidable healthcare-related harm to patients, and management of risks in health care

Apart from hosting orientation programs, P.D. Hinduja Hospital took an initiative to promote “World Safety Patient Day” with Mr. Boffin a mascot handing over handouts to in-patients and visitors with a small distribution kit containing hand wipes, mask, and a sanitizer to drive safety measures educating people around the topic 'Be our Patient Safety Partner'.

Other initiatives to create awareness included:

1) Digital posters, Standees, Posters on noticeboards: The communication encouraged visitors to ‘Be our Patient Safety Partner’. The hospital also displayed 5 Moments of Medication Safety (WHO Campaign)

2) International Patient Safety Goals were put up @ Nursing Stations throughout the hospital

3) Training was given on Infection Prevention by healthcare providers

4) Demonstration and training on Hand Hygeine session for school children was held at the Rural Health Programme

Joy Chakraborthy, COO, P.D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC said, “There is a need to create awareness amongst patients about seeking medical help, and making decisions about the management of minor diseases. Patient safety is our ultimate goal and we are happy to be part of this initiative adopted by WHO on the very first World Patient Safety Day. Individuals today self-medicate themselves. It is associated with risks such as misdiagnosis, use of excessive drug dosage, and prolonged duration of use, and drug interactions. Hence, monitoring systems and building a partnership between patients, physicians and pharmacists and the provision of education and information to all concerned on safe self-medication maximize benefits and minimize risk.”

According to WHO, Millions of patients are harmed each year due to unsafe health care worldwide resulting in 2.6 million deaths annually in low-and middle-income countries alone. At least five patients die every minute because of unsafe care and most of these deaths are avoidable. Hence the theme color showers a high degree of positivism that helps to restore balance to our physical energies. Four out of every ten patients are harmed during primary and ambulatory health care. The most detrimental errors are related to diagnosis, prescription and the use of medicines. Medication errors alone cost an estimated US$ 42 billion annually. Unsafe surgical care procedures cause complications in up to 25% of patients resulting in 1 million deaths during or immediately after surgery annually.