Patient Safety in Action
Objective 2: Patient safety Technical Improvements
"There is no quality without safety, and no safety without quality. Safety is at a virgin state in most of Africa and it is difficult to prioritize patient safety action unless it is explained in terms of how it contributes to systems strengthening.”
Dr. Jean Bosco Ndihokubwayo – Patient Safety Regional Focal Point, WHO African Regional Office (AFRO)
APPS provides a unique patient safety framework, with access to knowledge and resources which enable individuals, teams, hospitals, communities, ministries of health and NGOs, to systematically address weaknesses in the safety of health care systems. APPS makes available the tools to facilitate improvement and connects people to make these improvements become a reality for patients and families across the African Region.
Through systematic action, partners work together to establish the patient safety baseline in their respective hospital using a patient safety situational analysis tool. Results of the analysis are examined and gaps which might contribute to patient harm are identified. Priorities for action are agreed. An action plan is developed with the involvement of both partner hospitals, and action is taken to address the patient safety gaps. A review and evaluation cycle is built in.
APPS was established as a response to the political commitment for action on patient safety expressed during the WHO African Regional Committee Meeting in 2008. The Technical Paper, AFR/RC58/8 outlined and prioritised the 12 key action areas. The APPS Patient Safety Situational Analysis and a range of APPS improvement resources focus on these 12 areas as a framework for improvement activity.
