Patient Safety Policies and Practices among Selected Middle East Countries: Are We Walking on the Right Path?

Abstract

Background: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is the foremost authority for public health services in the Middle East through a network of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare centres. In 2017, the healthcare policy was updated for patient safety by the MOH. Human errors have always been a prime topic of debate in complex systems, especially healthcare, due to the adverse consequences leading to cultural blame; this adversely affects the patient safety policy and quality care and also leads to financial strain. As a result, patients continue to suffer harm and substandard care, and This can be avoidable through proper healthcare information and awareness among the organizations. Methodology: This review article has been written after evaluating 15 articles published in peer-reviewed journals globally. PubMed, Scopus, Springer, Research Gate, and Embase are some of the databases utilized for the literature research. The article also includes various studies that focus on patient safety culture. Results: A thorough review has been conducted, including measures taken by countries in the Middle East to enhance patient safety policy. Studies conducted across these countries provide an evidence-based understanding of the patient safety culture. Conclusion: There is a compelling need to promote patient safety culture to improve healthcare quality in the Middle East; this includes policies and measures adopted by various healthcare organizations, healthcare professionals, and those involved in medical education.

Regional perspectives on patient safety policies and initiatives: a focus group study with patient safety leaders in the Middle East and Asian regions

“…In the Middle East, for example, a study of patient safety policies and practice described regional and national-level activities but did not evaluate the facilitators and barriers to improving patient safety. 9 A systematic review status of patient safety culture in Arab countries based on the findings of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) similarly identified a pervasive culture of blame across the region, but the researchers focused on safety culture as only one element related to patient safety. 2 Similarly, Kang et al undertook comparative research on patient safety culture in Southeast Asian countries, which identified 13 studies using the HSPSC survey.…”