How to Improve Health Outcomes on World Patient Safety Day

The average lifespan has risen dramatically over the last century. Access to medicine, public health initiatives, and better living standards have extended lives by roughly 30 years. This month, however, marks an important reminder that more can be done.

World Patient Safety Day, which was first established in 2019, will be observed on September 17. The global initiative focuses on promoting better healthcare, minimizing harm to patients, and improving health outcomes — causes that the Islamic Medical Association of North America holds dear. Why is this important? And how can you get involved? Learn more about this global initiative in this guide.

What’s the Theme of World Patient Safety Day 2025?

The World Health Organization established World Patient Safety Day in 2019, after all 194 member states agreed to make it a priority.

The resolution, passed in May that year, emphasized the need to “integrate and implement patient safety programs in all clinical programs and risk areas.” This is a statement with a broad scope, covering all forms of avoidable harm to patients, including that from medical procedures, devices, and products.

Each year since, the day has centered on a unique theme, such as “health worker safety” or “medication safety”. Similarly, for 2025, the WHO has decided the focal point of all its efforts will be the safety of infants and young children.

It established the clarion call “patient safety from the start” to reaffirm every child’s right to safe and quality care. The key objectives of the 2025 event include: 

• Raising awareness about the risks of pediatric care 
• Mobilizing governments and healthcare bodies to implement new strategies. 
• Empowering parents and caregivers by promoting education and awareness. 
• Advocating for more research into pediatric and newborn care. 

To meet these goals, healthcare organizations like IMANA will host public health awareness campaigns in almost every neighbourhood — while monuments across the world will be lit up in the campaign’s signature orange colour. 

What Are the Challenges Associated With Patient Safety?

Despite an overall improvement in patient outcomes over the last century, the World Health Organization finds that one in 10 patients is harmed while receiving healthcare. This results in approximately 3 million deaths annually.

The figures are especially stark in low-to-middle income countries, where access to resources, training, and safety infrastructure is limited. In conflict-affected regions, such as Gaza, these challenges are compounded by instability, violence, and underfunding. The key challenges include: 

Misinformation 

If it wasn’t already clear after the Covid-19 pandemic, the internet is increasingly becoming a hotbed for medical misinformation. “Wellness influencers” get caught posting fake treatment plans, while public trust in healthcare institutions continues to reach new lows. The tendency to self-diagnose and medicate, meanwhile, is on the rise, leaving professionals struggling to carry out their duties.

Burnout

Simultaneously, medical professionals have never had this much on their plate. A global shortage of physicians (4.3 million as per recent estimates) coupled with a rise in chronic illnesses has led to burnout among medical professionals.

When doctors and nurses are expected to deal with multiple patients a day, the chances of medication errors, surgical errors, and misdiagnosis increase. WHO finds that one in 30 patients are affected by medication-related side-effects, while 5%-20% of all patient-physician encounters result in a misdiagnosis.

Infrastructure

Even in developed regions, healthcare systems face structural issues. Understaffing, outdated technology, miscommunication, and poor coordination are rampant across departments. In lower-income or crisis-affected areas, these gaps become even more pronounced, creating environments where safety is harder to guarantee.

As a result, preventable errors become more frequent, and essential safety practices — like infection control or proper hygiene — are difficult to maintain.

Complexity

Today’s medical landscape is a complicated one. Multiple stakeholders need to be involved to deliver basic care; insurance companies, corporates, and government bodies all play a hand in boosting patient outcomes. 

This complexity leads to longer queues in hospitals, fewer beds in critical care units, and delayed diagnosis from doctors. For a patient in critical condition, delays can be deadly. At the same time, the influx of new diseases and treatment plans has made the job of a medical professional even trickier to navigate.

What Can Medical Professionals Do? 

For medical professionals, these challenges require prompt solutions.

One way that doctors can promote safer outcomes is by encouraging a culture of transparency. By focusing on the proper collection and use of patient data, professionals can reduce the likelihood of mistakes and misdiagnoses, as well as build a better working model for patient safety procedures.

Simultaneously, physicians must focus on improving workflows. This could mean adopting new technologies to automate tasks, improve the speed of diagnoses and treatments, and making smarter decisions based on the latest information.

What Can the Ordinary Person Do? 

Even if you aren’t a healthcare professional, you can observe World Patient Safety Day. One of the biggest challenges to improving patient safety is public awareness. As a patient, caregiver, or citizen, your role in demanding safer care and supporting trustworthy healthcare systems is more powerful than you might think.

Here are some ways you can contribute 

• Stay informed: Learn about your rights as a patient, the importance of safe medical practices, and how to spot misinformation.
• Ask questions: Don’t hesitate to speak up during medical appointments. Clear communication with your providers can reduce the risk of error.
• Share reliable information: Use your influence to amplify accurate, science-based healthcare messages and counter dangerous misinformation.
• Support healthcare workers: Advocate for better working conditions and mental health resources for medical professionals.
• Participate in awareness campaigns: On September 17, wear orange, attend local events, or share posts to raise awareness about patient safety.

World Patient Safety Day is a shared responsibility between individuals, medical professionals, and healthcare-focused organizations like IMANA. Without collaboration, efforts will fail, and healthcare outcomes will start to deteriorate. 

So, this year, we urge you to join us at IMANA in championing the cause of patient safety. You could sign up as a volunteer, leave us a small donation, or simply help us share this message with as many people as you can