Putting patients’ experiences and perspectives at the centre of all efforts to improve quality of care in the WHO European Region was at the heart of a webinar hosted by the WHO Athens Quality of Care Office on 5 October 2022. The webinar was the second in a series entitled Meeting of the Minds on Quality of Care.
Through the webinar, WHO/Europe identified different approaches that can increase patients’ role in health-care decision-making, as well as ways to empower patients and families. Drawing from international experience, the participants shared examples from selected countries, organizations and health-care providers.
“As our health services at the moment really crack under several pressures, we know that more than ever before we need to keep the focus on quality of care,” noted Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of WHO/Europe’s Division of Country Health Policies and Systems. “This is where the role of patients continues to be very important to ensure that we keep their safety and well-being at the front and centre in the midst of all these challenges.”
People-centred health services
Patient engagement is a critical component of high-quality, integrated and people-centred health services. As equal partners in health-care decision-making, patients are encouraged to take an active role in prevention and self-care activities and to participate in treatment processes.
Health-care interventions such as providing health education to patients and families, facilitating access to information and feedback regarding their diagnosis and treatment, and involving them in health-service design and policy-making are essential for safe and quality services.
Empowering patients in shared decision-making values the humanity of recipients of care. Adopting policies to do so is a manifestation of equity and accountability in health-care systems. In addition, the active role of patients and their families in health care minimizes adverse events and medical errors and has been associated with improved treatment outcomes and satisfaction.
Patient participation in health affairs is considered a civil right and should be prioritized by health-care systems.
The way forward
“What we aim to do is work together under the WHO umbrella because it is important to step out of our specific country and region and see the problems of health as they are all around the world,” underlined Dr Mina Gaga, Alternate Minister of Health of Greece. “I strongly believe in WHO, universal health coverage and leaving no one behind – and who better to make us understand what the problems really are than the patients?”
Dr João Breda, Head of the WHO Athens Quality of Care Office, echoed this sentiment: “We are strong believers that there is no universal health coverage without quality of care. Patients have to be at the centre of everything we do.”
Dr Azzopardi-Muscat stressed that WHO/Europe is committed to listening to and involving patients in shaping and designing health services, but also in seeking solutions to public health challenges.
The remaining 3 webinars will be held between November and December 2022. They will focus on various key issues required to approach quality of care, including networks, implications of COVID-19 and global initiatives for quality of care.