ISQua is very proud that Professors Jeffrey Braithwaite (President of ISQua) and Ezequiel Garcia-Elorrio (President-Elect of ISQua) were invited present at the 5th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety 2023. Prior Ministerial Summits highlighted strategies to improve patient safety and raise public awareness, which is a significant accomplishment. The 5th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, which took place in Montreux on 23-24 February 2023, led with the overarching slogan of “Less Harm, Better Care – from Resolution to Implementation”.
This conference brought together experts and high-level professionals from around the world to discuss and address issues related to patient safety, such as preventing medical errors, improving quality of care and enhancing patient outcome, which testifies to the importance of the topic on a global scale. Patient safety is of paramount importance in healthcare as it is essential to ensure that patients receive the right care, in the right way, at the right time, and without harm. A safe healthcare system is one that actively identifies potential hazards and takes steps to prevent them from causing harm to patients. By prioritising patient safety, healthcare providers can minimize the risk of adverse events, improve patient outcomes, increase patient satisfaction, and enhance the overall quality of care.
It clearly emerged that there is plenty of evidence-based knowledge available to guide the work towards eliminating preventable harm to patients. However, implementation of this knowledge remains a challenge. But there is a scientific foundation that can guide us towards more effective implementation. This was clearly brought out in the presentations of Jeffrey Braithwaite, Ezequiel Garcia-Elorrio, and many other professionals. It is part of ISQua’s mission to give Voice to this Knowledge to everyone in our Network, to support Action towards the goals outlined in WHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030. We will keep sharing best practices, innovative solutions, and strategies to improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery for all.
As with previous Summits, the Montreux Charter on Patient Safety was agreed upon by the attending nations. We will aim to share the Charter with our network as soon as possible.