World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) stands as one of the eleven designated global public health observances mandated by the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). This significant day has been commemorated annually since 2019, following the unanimous adoption of resolution WHA72.6 by the seventy-second World Health Assembly (WHA), which called for “Global action on patient safety”. This resolution marked a pivotal moment, uniting a diverse array of global stakeholders—including national leaders, healthcare professionals, researchers, patients, and their advocates—under the shared and fundamental objective of embedding patient safety at the very core of all health systems worldwide.

From an industry perspective, ensuring robust patient safety is not merely a clinical imperative; it forms the bedrock for delivering high-quality care and achieving superior health outcomes. It is, in essence, indispensable for advancing towards universal health coverage and fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 3, which champions healthy lives and promotes well-being for everyone. The establishment of WPSD has been instrumental in elevating patient safety as a critical policy objective within individual nations and galvanizing international collaboration aimed at significantly reducing preventable harm across the spectrum of healthcare provision. For healthcare destinations aspiring to attract international patients, a demonstrable commitment to patient safety is paramount, directly influencing their reputation in the competitive global healthcare market and fostering trust among those seeking cross-border healthcare.

WPSD 2024: Elevating Diagnostic Safety in Global Healthcare

Each year, WPSD spotlights a specific patient safety concern that demands urgent global attention and coordinated action. For 2024, the central theme is diagnostic safety—a crucial, yet frequently underestimated, component of a patient’s journey through the healthcare system. Accurate and timely diagnosis is fundamental to the very essence of health-care delivery, making its oversight a significant vulnerability. This thematic focus aligns seamlessly with the strategic directives outlined in resolution WHA72.6 and the comprehensive Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030. Initiated in 2021, this Action Plan furnishes a robust strategic framework for all stakeholders to enhance patient safety, encompassing diagnostic safety, through well-defined policy interventions and the consistent application of best practices at the point of care. For providers specializing in medical tourism, a strong emphasis on diagnostic safety can be a key differentiator, assuring international patients of the quality of care they will receive.

Diagnostic errors, which include diagnoses that are delayed, incorrect, or entirely missed, are alarmingly responsible for nearly 16 per cent of preventable harm within healthcare systems globally. The potential for such errors exists at every single stage of the diagnostic process. These errors can affect any patient, involve any health professional, and manifest in any setting, context, or level of care provision. Moreover, the genesis of diagnostic errors is multifaceted, stemming from a broad spectrum of factors. These range from limited access to essential care and diagnostic tools, an insufficient number of competent health workers, and fragmented care—which are particularly significant contributing factors in low- and middle-income countries—to challenges in communication, patient-related variables, technological limitations, cognitive biases among clinicians, and systemic breakdowns in processes, such as inadequate follow-up on critical test results. The financial repercussions are also substantial; the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that the impact of diagnostic errors in the management of chronic illnesses accounts for approximately 5 per cent of the health expenditure in most OECD countries. This financial burden underscores the economic as well as human cost, highlighting a critical area for investment in global healthcare infrastructure, especially for healthcare destinations aiming to provide superior international patient care.

Strategic Objectives for WPSD 2024

The objectives articulated for WPSD 2024 are designed to drive targeted action and foster a safer diagnostic landscape:

  1. To heighten global awareness regarding diagnostic errors that contribute to patient harm and to underscore the indispensable role of correct, timely, and safe diagnosis in significantly improving patient safety.
  2. To elevate the prominence of diagnostic safety within patient safety policy and clinical practice across all tiers of health care, in direct alignment with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030.
  3. To cultivate enhanced collaboration among policymakers, healthcare leaders, health workers, patient organizations, and other crucial stakeholders in the collective endeavor to advance correct, timely, and safe diagnosis.
  4. To empower patients and their families to actively engage with health workers and healthcare leaders, thereby contributing meaningfully to the improvement of diagnostic processes.

These objectives are particularly pertinent for the medical tourism sector, where the active involvement and empowerment of international patients in their care journey can significantly enhance trust and outcomes.

Progress and Persistent Gaps in Patient Safety Initiatives

Since the adoption of resolution WHA72.6 on “Global action on patient safety” in 2019, there has been a notable increase in the recognition of patient safety as a core policy priority among states. Countries are demonstrating a growing commitment to work towards achieving the maximum possible reduction in avoidable harm resulting from unsafe healthcare practices globally. The Global Patient Safety Report 2024 commendably showcased the progress made by numerous nations but also critically highlighted that many existing strategies still require focused attention and further improvement. For instance, while an impressive 80 per cent of WHO member States actively engage in annual campaigns and events organized around WPSD, a significant disparity exists in patient empowerment efforts. Only 14 per cent of countries have launched dedicated campaigns to provide comprehensive information and education to patients and families, enabling their active involvement in self-care and empowering them for shared decision-making—an element crucial for their effective contribution to the diagnostic process. This gap represents a significant challenge for health tourism providers, as informed and empowered patients are better equipped to navigate the complexities of cross-border healthcare.

In recognition of the profound importance of access to safe diagnostic tools and services for preventing avoidable harm and achieving positive patient outcomes, the seventy-sixth WHA adopted a pivotal resolution (WHA76.5) in May 2023, aimed at strengthening global diagnostics capacity. As a direct consequence of this resolution, WHO established the Diagnostics Taskforce, creating a crucial mechanism for collaboration across all WHO programs and throughout the organization’s three levels. Resolution WHA76.5 includes a specific request for WHO to undertake several key actions:

  • Collect comprehensive data pertaining to the affordability, availability, and access to essential diagnostics.
  • Provide technical advice and support to countries in enhancing their diagnostic capabilities.
  • Facilitate the identification of relevant diagnostics necessary for comprehensive health services.
  • Develop robust policies specifically for health technology.
  • Support the advancement of research and development in diagnostic fields.
  • Strengthen national regulatory systems governing diagnostics.
  • Support the development of national diagnostics lists.
  • Develop or strengthen national, regional, and global laboratory networks.

Without ensuring widespread access to safe diagnostic tests and services, healthcare professionals are fundamentally hindered from making accurate and safe diagnoses, which are unequivocally key to preventing avoidable harm and ensuring quality of care. This is especially vital for international patient care, where diagnostic reliability underpins the entire patient travel experience.