Are Polish hospitals safe? - The Coalition for Hospital Safety announces the results of the 2nd edition of the hospital certification "A safe hospital is a safe patient"
Every year, nearly 37 000 stabbings and injuries occur in Polish hospitals. According to data from the World Health Organisation (World Health Organization) - 37% of hepatitis B infections, 39% of hepatitis C infections and 4.4% of HIV - these are the percentages of diseases detected after being injured or stabbed by equipment used in healthcare facilities. Still one-third of Polish hospitals do not have procedures in place for administering dangerous drugs, and nearly half do not use safety equipment to protect staff from adverse events, data from this year's report on the safety of Polish hospitals show. The Council of Experts of the Coalition for Hospital Safety selected the winners in the second edition of the hospital certification programme. As many as 108 hospitals from all over Poland were awarded the certificate for adherence to safety standards and for activities to popularise practices ensuring a safe working environment for both medical staff and patients. In which areas of safety do hospitals perform best?
Safe hospital is safe patient" certificate
This year's edition of hospital certification involved 112 establishments, 108 of which were awarded the 'Safe Hospital is Safe Patient' certificate. Each certified facility had to meet the criteria set out by the Council of Experts and sign the 'Safe Hospital is Safe Patient' declaration, committing to 11 principles to ensure a safe working environment for medical staff. The declaration includes commitments by hospitals to, among other things, have procedures in place for the administration of dangerous medicines, reliably assess the risk of occupational exposure and its prevention, conduct regular training for medical staff, as well as keep a register of injuries and punctures and use and use safe medical equipment.
"Receiving the Safe Hospital is Safe Patient certificate confirms that the hospital in question adheres to the most important safety principles and standards. This certainly also translates into the safety of patients during their stay in Polish hospitals. We are glad that this year we received a record number of applications and certified twice as many facilities. We believe that in the 3rd edition of the certification there will be even more. Remember, a safe hospital is a safe patient!" - comments Dr. med. and n. o zdr. Paweł Witt Chairman of the Expert Council of the Hospital Safety Coalition.
What challenges are faced by Polish medical facilities? What should be improved?
Almost all of the submitted medical facilities, as many as 96%, successfully passed the certification process. This result shows that the hospital directors who submitted their entities for assessment care about the safety of both medical staff and patients, while meeting the standards set by the Council of Experts. However, an analysis of the data sent in by the hospitals clearly shows that there are still many aspects related to safety that need to be improved. In medical facilities across Poland, safe equipment accounts for less than 50% of all equipment owned, when preparing cytotoxic drugs, almost 30% of hospitals do not use closed systems to protect medical staff from harmful substances, and more than half of hospitals do not use safe cannulas. The situation related to the assessment of the risk of exposure to cytotoxic drug contamination and the implementation and enforcement of emergency procedures after such contamination still needs to be improved. It is also necessary to introduce electronic reporting of adverse events involving medical staff following the example of other European countries.
"For a hospital to be safe the assurance of safety must be comprehensive. For example, failure to use safe cannulas can lead to complications, as well as injuries and stabbings to medical staff. The Hospital Safety Coalition continues to work and will continue to work on safety, we have also recently developed recommendations for safe vascular access, we want to implement the highest standards and practices and raise staff awareness of safe intravenous therapy." - emphasises Maciej Latos, M.D., Expert of the Coalition for Hospital Safety, President of the Polish Society of Infusion Nursing.
Good practices in Polish hospitals
It is also worth mentioning which aspects of safety in Polish hospitals score best. As many as 85% hospitals have procedures defining the rules for the proper use of sharps in order to increase the protection of employees from exposure to biological material. 90% of the hospitals surveyed have procedures for staff dealing with the disposal of medical sharps. Polish hospitals also take care of regular training of medical staff, with more than 96% hospitals providing training on the risk of exposure to biological material during medical procedures, prevention and post-exposure management, and more than 90% facilities training medical staff on increasing awareness of the mandatory registration of sharps injuries. However, data show that 40% establishments, still do not provide educational material or verify the knowledge acquired by staff.
"Training of medical staff is very important, every member of staff should be familiar with good practice, health and safety principles, as well as the latest standards related to safety, including the operation of safe equipment. In order to be safe, it is also necessary to cooperate at medical staff and patient level, which results in a reduced risk of accidents or adverse events." - adds Mariola Łodzińska, M.Sc., Expert of the Coalition for Hospital Safety, President of the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives.
Invitation to a debate with presentation of the report results
The culmination of the second edition of the certification will be a debate with the participation of Experts, during which the most important conclusions of this year's certification will be discussed and a report diagnosing the current level of security of Polish medical facilities will be announced.
Each edition of hospital certification provides very valuable data on the current level of safety of Polish medical facilities, which are also included in the report "A safe hospital is a safe patient". This year, the summary of the 2nd edition of hospital certification will be held as part of the debate "Safety and quality in Polish hospitals - are we meeting the challenges of modern medicine?". The debate will be held online and will take place on 10 November 2023, and will be attended by the Experts of the Coalition for Hospital Safety: dr. n. med. and n. o zdr. Paweł Witt Chairman of the Expert Council of the Coalition for Hospital Safety, Mariola Łodzińska, M.Sc. President of the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives, Maria Kołatek, Ph.D., President of the Polish Association of Epidemiological Nurses, and Anna Szczypta, Ph.D., National Consultant in Epidemiological Nursing.
The Coalition for Hospital Safety wants to continue to promote safety and quality in Polish hospitals. The next edition of the "Safe Hospital is Safe Patient" certification will be launched next year.
List of medical facilities awarded the "Safe Hospital is Safe Patient" certificate in 2023
- Independent Public Health Care Facility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration with the Warmia and Mazury Oncology Centre in Olsztyn
- Independent Public Health Care Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWIA) in Bialystok named after Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski
- Lower Silesia Centre for Oncology, Pulmonology and Haematology
- Clinics of NeurosurgeryI Ltd.
- Health Care Complex in Sucha Beskidzka
- Health Care Complex in Włoszczowa
- Wojewódzki Szpital Specjalistyczny im. dr Wł. Biegański w Łodzi
- Professor Franciszek Łukaszczyk Oncology Centre in Bydgoszcz
- Warmia and Mazury Lung Diseases Centre in Olsztyn
- Powiatowe Centrum Zdrowia w Brzezinach Sp. z o.o.
- Independent Public Health Care Facility in Bielsk Podlaski
- Military Medical Institute - National Research Institute
- Health Care Complex in Końskie
- Prof. Leszek Giec Upper Silesian Medical Centre of the Silesian Medical University in Katowice
- Multi-specialist Hospital Ltd. in Gliwice
- Andrzej Mielęcki Independent Public Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice
- District Hospital in Limanowa named after the Divine Mercy
- Mikołów Health Centre
- Dr. Antoni Jurasz University Hospital No. 1 in Bydgoszcz
- Independent Public Health Care Complex in Kędzierzyn-Koźle
- University Clinical Hospital in Poznań
- Władysław Biegański Regional Specialist Hospital in Grudziądz
- Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski Provincial Hospital in Lomza
- Stanisław Staszic Specialist Hospital in Piła
- District hospital in Radomsko
- Independent Public Health Care Complex in Kazimiera Wielka
- Independent Public Health Care Complex St. John Paul II Specialist Hospital in Głuchołazy
- St. Joseph Hospital for Lung Diseases St. Joseph Hospital for Lung Diseases in Pilchowice
- Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze
- Dr. S. Jasiński Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital in Zakopane
- Independent Public Health Care Facility Nowe Miasto
- Independent Public Health Care Institution University Hospital in Krakow
- Salus Sp.z o.o.
- Powiatowe Centrum Zdrowia Sp. z o.o. in Malbork
- Zespół Opieki Zdrowoticach w Świętochłłowicach Sp. z o.o.
- Karol Jonscher Clinical Hospital of the Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań
- Dr Tytus Chałubiński County Hospital in Zakopane
- Prague Transfiguration Hospital
- Independent Public Health Care Facility in Szamotuły
- Centrum Medyczne Karpacz S.A.
- Mazowiecki Szpital Specjalistyczny im. dr Józef Psarski in Ostrołęka
- Complex of Health Care Centres in Wadowice
- NU-MED Specialist Oncology Hospital Ltd. in Tomaszów Mazowiecki
- Czerniakowski Hospital Ltd.
- Municipal Hospital in Siemianowice Śląskie Sp. z o.o.
- University Clinical Centre of Warsaw Medical University
- Independent Public Health Care Facility in Puławy
- Mergez Sp. z o.o. Provincial Specialist Hospital
- Municipal Teaching Hospital in Olsztyn
- Podkarpackie Regional Psychiatric Hospital named after Prof. Eugeniusz Brzezicki in Żurawica
- Ludwik Rydygier Regional Hospital in Suwałki
- Tadeusz Browicz Regional Hospital for Observational and Infectious Diseases
- Zdrowie Sp. z o.o. in Kwidzyn
- Independent Public Health Care Facility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in Szczecin
- J. Śniadecki Specialist Hospital in Nowy Sącz
- 107 Military Hospital SPZOZ in Wałcz
- Medikor Hospital in Nowy Sącz
- Specialist Psychiatric Independent Public Health Care Facility
- Independent Public Health Care Institution MSWiA
- County Hospital in Września Spółka z o.o. in restructuring
- Independent Public Health Care Institution "REPTY" Upper Silesian Rehabilitation Centre named after Gen. J. Ziętek
- Dr Anna Gostynska Wolski Hospital Ltd.
- Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. Medical Centre in Radzymin - Independent Public Health Care Complex
- Independent Public Health Care Facility in Działdów
- Independent Public Health Care Complex in Proszowice
- Kociewskie Centrum Zdrowia Sp. z o. o.
- Independent Public Health Care Facility in Łęczna
- Nu-Med Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii Onkologicznej Zamość Sp. z o.o.
- County Hospital in Nowa Dęba
- Prelate J. Glowatzki District Hospital in Strzelce Opolskie
- Independent Public Health Care Complex in Tomaszów Lubelski
- Głogowski Szpital Powiatowy sp. z o.o.
- Szpital Powiatowy w Rawiczu Sp. z o.o.
- Independent Public Health Care Institution State Hospital for the Nervous and Mentally Ill in Rybnik
- Joannitas Hospital in Pszczyna
- Institute "Child Health Memorial Centre"
- District Hospital Complex
- Alfred Sokolowski County Hospital in Złotow
- E. Biernacki Gynaecological-Obstetrical Specialist Hospital
- University Clinical Hospital in Opole
- Regional Hospital in Kolobrzeg
- Health Care Facility Complex in Czarnków
- NU-MED Grupa S.A.
- Independent Public Health Care Institution MSWiA in Lublin
- St Jadwiga Śląska Hospital in Trzebnica
- Health Care Complex in Nysa
- Ostrzeszow Health Centre Ltd.
- Hospital in Kliny
- Independent Public Health Care Centre in Koło
- Eugenia and Janusz Zeyland Wielkopolska Centre for Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery
- John Paul II Podhale Specialist Hospital in Nowy Targ
- District Health Care Complex
- Specialist Hospital No. 2 in Bytom
- Łowicz Health Care Complex
- SP ZOZ MSWiA in Kraków
- SP ZOZ SZPITAL NR 2 im. dr Tadeusz Boczoń in Mysłowice
- John Paul II Regional Hospital for the Podkarpathic Region in Krosno
- Lower Silesian Centre for Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics
- NZOZ Hospital na Siemiradzkiego im. R. Czerwiakowskiego Sp. z o.o.
- Wojewódzki Samodzielny Zespół Z Zakładów Opieki Zdrowotnej im. Prof. Eugeniusz Wilczkowski in Gostynin
- Giżycka Ochrona Zdrowia Sp. z o.o.
- Independent Public Health Care Institution in Przeworsk
- A. Falkiewicz Specialist Hospital in Wrocław
- Municipal Hospital in Zabrze Sp. z o.o.
- MAVIT Medical Centre Specialist Hospital in Warsaw
- Specialist Hospital of the MAVIT Medical Centre in Katowice
- Lower Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases named after Prof. Zbigniew Religa Medinet Sp. z o.o.
- Nu-Med Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii Onkologicznej Katowice Sp. z o.o.
The full list of establishments that have received the 'Safe Hospital is Safe Patient' certificate is available at https://deklaracja-bezpiecznyszpital.pl/
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The Hospital Safety Coalition was established in 2021 with the main aim of increasing the safety of healthcare workers in the workplace by, among other things, promoting and encouraging hospitals to use safe medical equipment. The Coalition's main project is the 'Safe Hospital is Safe Patient' programme, which is joined by medical facilities that adhere to its recommendations. Patronage of the project is held by: The National Health Fund, the Patient Ombudsman, the Supreme Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, the Polish Federation of Hospitals, the Supreme Medical Chamber, the Polish Association of Epidemiological Nurses, the Polish Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Nurses, the Polish Society of Epidemiologists and Doctors of Infectious Diseases, the Polish Vascular Access Club, the Association of Hygiene in Healthcare, Polish Association of Private Hospitals, the Polish Pharmaceutical Society, the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber, the European Association of Clean Treatment, the Association of Healthy Polish Cities, the National Chamber of Laboratory Diagnosticians, the Polish Society of Microbiologists, the Polish Nursing Association, the National Trade Union of Physicians, the Institute for Patient Rights and Health Education and the Polish Society of Infusion Nursing.
Composition of the Board of Experts of the Coalition for Hospital Safety: Paweł Witt, MD, PhD. D., Prof. Paweł Witt, M.D., Prof. Wojciech Zegarski, M.D., Prof. Tomasz Banasiewicz, Prof. Jarosław J. Fedorowski, M.D., Klaudiusz Komor, M.D., Anna Szczypta, M.D., Maria Kołatek, M.D., Mirosława Malara, M.D., Zofia Małas, M.D., Mariola Łodzińska, M.D., Maciej Latos, Marzena Janowska, M.D., Pharm. Krystyna Chmal-Jagiełło, M.Sc. Marcin Bochniarz, Ph. Anna Gawrońska, M.Sc. Jerzy Ostrouch, M.Sc. Magdalena Ryznar-Zaręba, M.Sc. Jolanta Korczyńska, M.Sc. Marcin Bicz, M.Sc.