Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Office of the Secretary
BAGONG PILIPINAS

May
14, 2024
DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
No. 2024 - O(97
FOR: ALL UNDERSECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES;
DIRECTORS OF BUREAU ERVICES, AND CENTERS FOR
HEALTH DEVELOPMENT; MINISTER OF HEALTH -
BANGSAMORO AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO
MOH-BARMM); EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF _SPECTALITY
HOSPITALS; CHIEFS OF MEDICAL CENTERS, HOSPITALS, AND
SANITARIA; AND ALL OTHERS CONCERNED

SUBJECT: Guidance on the Celebration of the World Patient Safety Day 2024

I. Rationale

The World Patient Safety Day was established during the 72nd World Health
Assembly in May 2019 to promote awareness and advocacy every 17th of September,
aiming to involve the public in enhancing patient safety and preventing avoidable
harm.

The theme for

this year, "Improving Diagnosis for Patient Safety," underscores
the crucial role of accurate and timely diagnosis in safeguarding patient safety and
improving health outcomes. The accompanying slogan "Get right, make it safe!"
further underscores this point. Improving Diagnostic Safety requires addressing both
it
systems-based issues and cognitive factors that can lead to diagnostic errors. Systemic
factors are organizational vulnerabilities that predispose to diagnostic errors,
including communication failures between health workers or health workers and
patients, heavy workloads, and ineffective teamwork. Cognitive factors involve
clinician training and experience as well as predisposition to biases, fatigue, and
stress.

The country remains committed to the Global Action on Patient Safety by

actively participating in this year's World Patient Safety Day. As such, all health
facilities and regions are encouraged to lead activities in observance of the World
Patient Safety Day 2024.

II. Objectives of World Patient Safety Day 2024

Activities relative to the celebration of World Patient Safety Day in your

respective facilities are to be aligned with the following objectives:

Building 1, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, 1003 Manila e Trunk Line 651-7800 local 1108, 1111, 1112, 1113
Direct Line: 711-9502; 711-9503 Fax: 743-1829 e URL: http://www.doh.gov.ph; e-mail: dohosec@doh.gov.ph
 Raise global awareness of errors in diagnosis contributing to patient harm and
emphasize the pivotal role of correct, timely, and safe diagnosis in improving
patient safety.

Give prominence to Diagnostic Safety in patient safety policy and clinical

practice at all levels of health care, aligned with the Global Patient Safety Action
Plan 2021-2030.

Foster collaboration among policy-makers, health care leaders, health workers,

patient organizations, and other stakeholders in advancing correct, timely, and safe
diagnosis.

D. Empower patients and families to actively engage with health workers and
health care leaders to improve diagnostic processes.

Il. Specific Guidelines

A. Activities

1, All facilities and regions are to organize an illumination activity to show

solidarity with the advocacy. The signature mark of the global campaign for
patient safety is lighting up iconic monuments, historical landmarks, and
public spaces in orange color, in collaboration with local authorities.

2. All facilities and regions may utilize virtual platforms, conduct face-to-face
activities, or use a combination of both accordingly while adhering to
appropriate safety protocols for gatherings.

3. Promotional materials from the World Health Organization Patient Safety

Flagship and the DOH shall be made available through this link:
https://bit.ly/WPSD2024 and may be used by the hospitals, health facilities,
and regions for their celebration and activities.

4. Centers for Health Development and health facilities shall have the option to
as
choose which activities to conduct long
asit is aligned with the objectives.

5. Recommended activities include the following:

a. Submission of entries for the Best Practices for Quality Conference,
which will be conducted on September 24-26, 2024. Guidelines shall be
made available through the above-mentioned link
b. Social media activities, such as adding the WPSD 2024 profile frame to
social media profile pictures, participating in TikTok challenges, live
streaming, sharing audiovisual campaigns, and utilizing the official
hashtags #WorldPatientSafetyDay and #PatientSafetyDayPH.
c. Open forums and town hall meetings to address patient and caregivers’
concems and issues regarding Diagnostic Safety.
d. Capacity-building initiatives to complement existing learning and
development opportunities, such as the Safe and Sound I: Basic Course on
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement, which is available in the DOH
eLearning Academy.
e. Dissemination of promotional materials to increase advocacy reach.
B. Documentation

All activities shall be documented through photos and/or videos, and an

evaluation by the target participants shall be conducted. A summary activity report,
supplemented by electronic copies of relevant documentation, shall be submitted to
the Health Facility Development Bureau (HFDB) through this link:
https://bit.ly/SubmitWPSDReport no later than October 18, 2024, following the
conclusion of World Patient Safety Day 2024.

C. Funding Support

Funding support for the celebration was provided through the Centers for
Health Development (CHDs) as indicated in Department Order No. 2024-0030 dated
February 6, 2024, titled “Guidelines on the Release and Utilization of the
Sub-allotment of Funds to the Centers for Health Development (CHD) for the
Operations of the Health Facility Development Unit (HFDU) and Regional
Counterparts of the Office of the Health Laboratories (OHL).”

Furthermore, Administrative Order No. 2020-0007, National Policy on Patient

the
Safety in Health Facilities, Section VII.3.d requires hospitals to include allocation
of an adequate budget for the rational procurement of resources and materials
necessary for the implementation of the Patient Safety Program. As funding support,
the HFDB has included the budget for the Patient Safety Program in the formula for
the computation of the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) for the
DOH
hospitals in 2024.
Requests for additional funding for the celebration of World Patient Safety
Day may be made to the appropriate CHD, subject to the availability of funds.

By Authority of the Secretary of Health:

DR. EMMIE TX
omunemone
Undersecretary of Health
Health Regulation and Facility Development Cluster