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Leading Practices in Patient Safety

Globally, 134 million adverse events contribute to 2.6 million deaths each year due to unsafe care. At 28,000 deaths per year in Canada, patient harm ranks third in mortality after cancer and heart disease. HealthCareCAN is resolved in its goal to helping our members build strong cultures of patient safety within their organizations so they may deliver on their promise to provide high-quality, safe care to the patients they serve.

Explore this section to learn about the innovative ways our members are delivering safe care to Canadians, recent federal policies in patient safety, and to find out how you can help your organization to build a strong patient safety culture.

Member Innovations in Patient Safety

HealthCareCAN celebrates champions of patient safety

HealthCareCAN, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and Health Standards Organization, with support from Patients for Patient Safety Canada, have partnered to identify, celebrate and disseminate leading practices in patient engagement for patient safety.

CHA Learning – helping you build a strong patient safety culture in your organization

CHA Learning, HealthCareCAN‘s professional development division, offers 2 areas of study in quality and safety, the Canadian Patient Safety Officer Course (online) which equips you to build a strong patient safety culture within your organizations, and Integrated Quality Management, which provides critical knowledge, tools and hands-on experience in quality improvement, patient safety, risk management, patient experience and performance measurement.

CHA Learning, HealthCareCAN‘s professional development division, has developed the People-Centred Care program to enable healthcare professionals at all levels to lead healthcare change and improvement in partnership with patients, families and providers. Gain skills and knowledge to enable people-centred care, effective engagement activities and positive healthcare experiences with concrete, evidence-based and practical tools that are immediately applicable.

National Dementia Strategy

On Monday, June 17th, Minister Petitpas Taylor released Canada’s national dementia strategy, A Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire. HealthCareCAN has reviewed the report and developed a short analysis on the potential impact of – and opportunities for – our members.

Mandatory Reporting on Severe Adverse Drug Reactions (SADRs) or Medical Device Incidents (MDIs)

Since Vanessa’s Law was passed in 2014, Health Canada has been consulting with stakeholders to assist in developing regulations that will define the mechanics of the new mandatory reporting regime. This policy brief serves to advise members on recent revisions to federal regulations under Vanessa’s Law that require hospitals to report on Severe Adverse Drug Reactions (SADRs) or Medical Device Incidents (MDIs) and to help members prepare for the transition to a regime of mandatory reporting.

HealthCareCAN‘s participation on the Canadian Patient Safety Institute’s (CPSI) Policy, Legal and Regulatory Affairs Committee

The Policy, Legal and Regulatory Affairs Advisory Committee (of which HealthCareCAN is a member, and includes representatives from Patients for Patient Safety Canada, government, legal and policy expertise and regulatory bodies) is mandated to provide strategic advice that enables CPSI to be a catalyst that influences patient safety issues and directions as they relate to federal, provincial, and territorial health priorities and policy, health law and legislation, and regulatory systems and processes.

HealthCareCAN members interested in finding out more about the work of the committee are invited to contact us at membership@healthcarecan.ca.