On September 8 – 10, 2008 in the Center for
public cooperation In Warsaw was held meeting devoted to introduction of
principles for patients safety in health system in North – East
countries in Europe. I presented the role of non government organization
in education and raising awareness by patients and by health
authorities also. It was second step in the East East project sponsored
by Batory Foundation. Last year Patient Safety Foundation organized
similar meeting in Lodz, now this project was run by Federation of
Polish Patients and Eastern European and Asian Organizations for Patient
Safety. I was so happy that I met in Warsaw patient activists from
Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldavia and Belgium.
We
discussed many issues related to improvement for patients: for example
we want to introduce in the Medical University special courses for
nurses and clinicians about patient safety, we want to have procedures,
rules in the hospitals which help patients and clinicians better
understand all situations in the hospital. We agree about disadvantages
which are common for our countries like too small account of
epidemiology nurses, too small account of beds and laboratory
examinations during patients staying in the hospital. We also have
discussed about counterfeit medicines in our region and new chances for
patients who are living in UE countries.
All of us agree that priority is that Patients
voice will be heard by others parts of health system. We want that
Patient centered system of public services should be most important at
formation of new law system not only in Poland but in whole region. We
need to be a part of the government, patients organization, and
representatives of the medical care.
This project gives us power
for changes not only in Poland but generally in region. Next step in
this project will take part in Moldavia. Batory Foundation invited me as
an expert to come there.
