Join ISMP International Fellows in promoting the first ever World Health Organization (WHO) World Patient Safety Day. It is estimated that 1 in 10 patients are harmed while receiving hospital care in high-income countries, and 1 out of every 4 hospitalizations results in patient harm each year in low- and middle-income countries.  In May of this year, WHO’s Member States established September 17th as World Patient Safety Day.

Through this global campaign WHO spotlights patient safety to increase awareness and engagement and urges people to show their commitment to making health care safer for patients. Related, in 2017 WHO identified Medication Without Harm as the theme for the third Global Patient Safety Challenge which aims to reduce severe avoidable medication-related harm by 50% globally in 5 years.  

Show your support for WHO’s initiative for patient safety as a global health priority, and spread awareness for patient safety in your organization. See https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day for World Patient Safety Day ideas and more information on this global initiative. For more information and related links to Medication Without Harm, see https://www.who.int/patientsafety/medication-safety/en/.