Patient Safety Awareness Week: March 9–15, 2025

This year, healthcare providers are prioritizing patient safety like never before. The theme for Patient Safety Awareness Week, "Moving the Needle," highlights the need to turn awareness into meaningful action. Rather than simply acknowledging safety concerns, this initiative underscores an industry-wide commitment to implementing strategies that drive real improvements in patient care.

Achieving this shift from awareness to action requires healthcare providers to take a critical look at existing practices and identify opportunities for enhancement and improvement. A proactive approach not only reduces risks but also lays the groundwork for safer care environments. By embracing the "Moving the Needle" mindset, healthcare organizations can cultivate an environment of continuous improvement, making patient safety an integral part of everyday practice.

Significant progress has been made in patient safety over the past two decades, yet medical harm remains a leading cause of death worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 134 million adverse events occur annually in hospitals across low- and middle-income countries due to unsafe care, leading to approximately 2.6 million deaths. In ambulatory and primary care settings, 40% of patients experience harm, with an estimated 80% of these incidents being preventable.

Research suggests that in the United States alone, 250,000 to 400,000 deaths occur each year due to errors or preventable harm. While not all cases of harm result in death, they can have lasting effects on a patient’s physical and emotional health, financial stability, and family relationships.

Preventing harm in healthcare settings is a critical public health issue. Since everyone interacts with the healthcare system at some point, ensuring safe care is a shared responsibility that requires collective action.

Core Principles to Ensure Safe, Reliable Healthcare:

1. Work together to drive greater urgency to prevent harm to patients and those who care for them in all settings across the care continuum.

2. Strengthen the foundation for eliminating harm by ensuring that leaders actively promote a culture of safety, the spread of learning systems, patient and family engagement, and workforce safety.

3. Partner with patients, families, and care partners and commit to open, honest, and respectful communication to create safe, person-centered health care.

4. Coordinate and collaborate to achieve large-scale, sustainable improvement in safety.

5. Transparently share successes and failures within and across organizations and industries  to promote learning and improve outcomes for all.

6. Advance health equity so that everyone has the safest care, and no one is disadvantaged  due to demographic characteristics or social determinants. 

7. Support policies and regulations that will improve patient safety.

Patient safety is a fundamental pillar of quality healthcare, ensuring that patients receive care without preventable harm. Medical errors and unsafe practices can lead to severe consequences, including injury, prolonged recovery, financial burdens, and even loss of life. By prioritizing patient safety, healthcare organizations can enhance trust, improve outcomes, and reduce costs associated with preventable harm. A strong culture of safety—built on clear communication, evidence-based practices, and continuous improvement—empowers providers to deliver high-quality care while protecting patients from unnecessary risks.

Sources:

https://blog.centerforpatientsafety.org/turningawarenessintoactionforpatientsafety

https://www.ihi.org/networks/initiatives/patient-safety-awareness-week