Patient Safety in Primary Care

 

While there is increasing evidence on patient safety in acute care settings, less is known about the safety of healthcare services in the community, particularly within primary care.

In 2009, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) partnered with the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (BCPSQC) to commission a research report on the current state of knowledge of patient safety in primary care with the goal of identifying the key issues, priorities, opportunities and strategies for advancing patient safety in primary care in Canada. Through a competitive process, a research team from the Institute of Health Economics was commissioned to develop the report, "Patient Safety in Primary Care" (pdf-2,984Kb)

Together with a pan-Canadian Advisory Group, experts and stakeholders from across Canada and internationally were engaged to contribute information and expertise throughout the research process.

Highlights:

  • A review of the existing white and grey literature on patient safety in primary care identified two major themes: missed or delayed diagnosis and medication management. These themes were most often affected by communication, administrative processes, and the knowledge and skills of providers in primary care.
  • Key informants (including patients) emphasized improved communication as an important focus for enhancing patient safety. Specifically, a major issue is the management and transfer (handover) of patient information within primary care, and between providers both within and external to primary care.
  • Further research is needed to address key questions around the nature and cost of patient safety incidents in primary care, the structures and processes inherent in primary care that contribute to these incidents, and the identification of system-level strategies and opportunities to maximize patient safety in primary care.
  • There is a need for continued efforts for national, provincial, territorial, regional and local organizations and associations to collaboratively emphasize and target key safety issues while respecting the uniqueness and responsibility of each jurisdiction in the delivery of primary care.

We hope this will be the beginning of discussions to create changes in policy and practice needed at a national, provincial/territorial and local levels to promote a more collaborative and standardized approach to patient safety in primary care.

Please read this important patient safety document (pdf-2,984Kb) and share with your colleagues.

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For more information please contact:

BC Patient Safety & Quality Council

Email: info@bcpsqc.ca

Phone: 604-668-8210