Exploring patient participation in reducing health-care-related safety risks

Enhancing the patients’ role in patient safety in the Netherlands
4. conclusions and recommendations were discussed in an expert meeting with 9
national patient safety experts and disseminated by means of a report, various
publications, a press release and presentations at (inter)national conferences (from
2009 to present).
Results
The research shows that the consumer has a unique perspective on the care process,
which is a valuable addition to professional knowledge. Care provision is less than
optimal without consumers’ contribution, as they are the ones who experience the care
intervention or process.
The way in which the consumer can fulfil a role is still unclear at the moment and
depends on the degree to which he or she is willing and able to participate and has the
necessary skills to do so. The consumer role is always voluntary (not all consumers are
able or willing to play a role in patient safety). It may serve as an additional verification
step in the care process, where the consumer can act as adviser to, or supervisor of, their
treatment process, but the health care professional retains ultimate responsibility for the
consumer’s safety.
The professional’s attitude and skills are also crucial factors in giving further substance
to the consumer’s role. The creation of an open culture is essential and starts with the
relationship between the professional and the consumer. Consumers need to be equipped
with the right information in terms of knowing what patient safety means, what risks
exist and how they can contribute to the care process to enhance their own safety.
The unique perspective of the consumer must also be considered in the drafting of
guidelines, protocols, care standards and patient safety policy. This contributes to the
development of a transparent and reliable care system that is clear and understandable to
all parties.
International research into the effect of interventions with regard to the role of the
client in patient safety remains limited. Existing (inter)national interventions are mainly
aimed at information and “tips” for the patient and their family or representative, a
common example of which is the patient safety card. Few interventions have yet been
developed that support the professional in this process. To ensure a positive effect of
interventions, it is important to target the relationship (and the dialogue) between
health care professional and consumer. A clear link between interventions targeting
professionals and existing legislation and regulations increases motivation for their use.
The Netherlands is leading the way in terms of patient/consumer collectives (councils
and representatives), but the role of the patient/consumer councils in health care
facilities is currently underutilized. The professionalization and facilitation of patient/
consumer collectives makes it possible to involve the perspective of the consumer in the
(annual) safety policy of health care facilities and redesign of care processes. At the same
time, discussion of incidents and the development of how (former) victims of patient
safety-related issues are dealt with – including the organization of aftercare for such
(former) victims – are very important factors in the creation of an open safety culture.
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