On World Patient Safety Day, it’s important to reflect on where the industry started and how technology, when strategically integrated into workplace practices, can enhance safety, streamline operations and produce meaningful outcomes—especially in the complex world of care delivery. Today serves as a call for global solidarity and concerted action to improve patient safety, bringing together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, healthcare leaders and policymakers to show their commitment to the cause.
According to the Global Patient Safety Report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) this year, most countries recognize a safety culture as crucial in healthcare, yet only a quarter of them were reported to have made efforts towards developing a culture of safety in healthcare facilities and services. Globally, medical errors are responsible for three million patient deaths per year, and these errors are generally the result of system or process failures, not individual healthcare workers’ practices.
Safety is paramount in care delivery, and technology can play a significant role in hardwiring safety into healthcare organizations’ processes. While technology offers immense potential, it’s not just about implementing it—what truly matters is how organizations leverage it to drive real-world outcomes. And, with a plethora of technology and software to choose from, healthcare organizations must prioritize implementing streamlined, evidence-based solutions that will save time for staff. If technology is disconnected, it risks becoming a bureaucratic burden rather than a lever for safety improvement.
Evidence-based safety improvement
Healthcare lacks a single metric to measure safety, so patient outcomes are the industry’s success measure. Healthcare organizations have been trying to improve patient safety for over 30 years, but medical harm is still a leading cause of death worldwide. Safety encompasses everything from the quality of facilities to patient care processes. However, focusing only on outcomes such as patient recovery or process efficiency isn't enough to ensure safety. Safety must be built into every level of hospital and health system operations, from daily tasks to organizational culture. A shift toward evidence-based safety improvement—where technology is used to track and analyze incidents—provides the clarity needed to identify patterns and risks before they translate into harm.
Healthcare organizations must connect data from across credentialing, incident reports, patient outcome data and more to answer crucial questions: Are the organization's safety metrics improving? Are fall rates decreasing? Is patient care getting safer? These questions guide a more meaningful focus on why safety is important. Measures such as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Patient Safety Structural Measure and the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan offer guidelines for organizations to operate by, and technology provides the tools to track incidents and trends to predict and prevent future harm. Incidents and errors will always happen in healthcare, but technology can provide actionable insights for improvement.
Reconciling software complexity
Although intended for good, the complexity of healthcare technology often means systems don’t always work well together. For example, an organization might use different platforms for incident reporting, workforce management and credentialing, and these platforms often operate in silos. The challenge is integrating them in a way that doesn't overwhelm users, particularly when healthcare professionals are already stretched so thin. When data can be shared across platforms without friction, healthcare providers can make more informed decisions based on comprehensive information. This creates a feedback loop where real-world outcomes can directly inform safety measures.
Addressing the disconnect between safety goals and reality
Most healthcare organizations agree that patient safety should be a top priority. But pledging commitment to safety is much easier said than done. Around 41% of countries have launched patient safety improvement programs tailored to their specific contexts, addressing different sources of harm. Many organizations lack the staffing and financial resources required to provide the level of care they aim for. While intensive care units may have a one-to-one or even higher ratio of staff to patients, millions of patients with less critical needs also require quality care, stretching resources thin. Healthcare providers must focus on implementing safety practices that fit their organizations’ needs and invest in technologies and practices that support that goal.
The road ahead
Technology has the potential to bring real improvements to healthcare safety, but only if organizations implement it thoughtfully with a focus on improving real-world outcomes and reducing administrative burdens. Many organizations only utilize a fraction of their software's full potential, limiting its impact on improving safety. The WHO Report notes collaboration as a key element of healthcare safety culture. One way that hospitals and health systems can collaborate for safer care is by sharing data through a Patient Safety Organization (PSO). When health systems limit themselves to solely working with their own data, they are losing out on deeper insights into the underlying drivers of medical harm. Software and technology solutions are essential tools, but their effectiveness depends on how they are used within the broader context of organizational practices and culture.
In addition to leveraging technology solutions to deliver safer care, raising awareness about patient safety culture and collaboration is critical. World Patient Safety Day provides an opportunity to educate leaders, providers, patients and their families and advocate for change in care delivery and operations. By focusing on integration, education and practical application, the healthcare industry can harness technology to create safer, more effective care environments.
