RESOLUTION
21st November, 2009 Skopje

of the Participants of the International Initiative “Eastern European and Asian Organizations for Patient Safety”

Adopted by the Participants of the Project “Eastern European and Asian Organizations for Patients’ Rights and Safety” 

We, the Participants of the International Initiative “Eastern European and Asian Organizations for Patient Safety” (hereafter referred to as “Parties”),

Considering that the Aim of the Initiative is to consolidate efforts of partner organizations in Patient Safety and patient-centered healthcare principles’ implementation in Central, Eastern European and Asian regions;

Considering that access to safe health care is the basic right of every citizen in our countries;

Considering that the health sector is a high-risk area because adverse events, arising from treatment rather than disease, can lead to death, serious damage, complications and patient suffering;

Considering that a large proportion of adverse events are preventable with systemic factors appearing to account for a majority of them; 

Considering that poor patient safety represents both a severe public health problem and a high economic burden on limited health resources; focus on patient safety leads to savings in treating patients exposed to adverse events and the consequential improved use of financial resources;

Considering that patients should be informed and empowered by involving them in the patient safety process; they should be informed of levels of safety and on how they can find accessible and comprehensible information, given in the language, which is understable for them on complaints, redress systems etc.;

Considering that the patient safety is an important prerequisite for quality improvement; 

Considering that the same principles of patient safety apply in all participating countries;

Recognizing the need to promote open co-operation between our countries and to create a framework to stimulate policy development and future action in and between our countries concerning Patients’ Rights and Safety, 

Have agreed that Parties: 

- unite their knowledge and activities to promote the patient safety and patient rights in their countries; 

- exchange information, knowledge and experience in the field of patients’ rights and safety;

- develop mutual programs, carry out joint research, conferences, etc.; give regular press release to media about activities; 

- work that patient safety and patient-centered healthcare principles’ is included in all health care policies in their countries;

- work toward establishing culture of patient safety that focuses on learning from near misses and adverse events as opposed to concentrating on blame and shame;  

- work toward the development of a reporting system for patient safety incidents in order to enhance patient safety by learning from such incidents;

- work toward establishing legal framework for reporting and learning process, patient compensation for harm due to health care process;

- work toward the introduction of risk management routines in the health care sector;

- work toward empowering and informing citizens and patients by involving patient organizations and representatives in the development of policies and programs on patient safety;

- work toward disseminating information to patients on risk, levels of safety and measures in place to reduce or prevent errors, and ensure informed consent to treatment, to facilitate patient choice and decision-making;

- work toward the establishment of good partnership and close collaboration between all stakeholders in terms of patients’ rights and safety in their countries; 

- work toward the development of educational programs for all relevant health care personnel and patients to improve the understanding and create common language between the professionals in their countries;

- produce regular reports on actions taken nationally to improve patient safety.