Doha, Qatar: The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), presented research findings from its report titled, Transforming Patient Safety: A Sector-Wide Systems Approach, at the 8th International Patient Safety Conference 2019. WISH was also one of the knowledge partners for the event, which was held in Hyderabad, India, from September 13-14.

The conference, organized by the Apollo Hospitals Group, discussed the direction of healthcare within the new era of Artificial Intelligence, as well as focused on best practices to minimize medical errors. WISH was represented by Dr. Walid Qoronfleh, Director of Research and Policy, and Maha El Akoum, Head of Content and Research Fellow, where they engaged with an international community of policy makers, academics, researchers, and healthcare experts.

Dr. Qoronfleh said: “It was an honor for us to participate and speak at the conference about how to create highly reliable health systems. This opportunity gave us a chance to network with like-minded individuals and global entities, exchange experiences, and gain technical knowledge in various areas of patient safety.

“Patient safety is not a luxury, but a right for all patients and their families. And that is why, as a local stakeholder in healthcare reform in Qatar, WISH hopes to assist in defining the national strategy for patient safety improvement.”

As part of his presentation, which took place during the session titled ‘Lessons on Innovations’, Dr. Qoronfleh emphasized the importance of knowledge sharing and interdisciplinary learning. More specifically, he discussed how healthcare professionals can learn from other industries, such as commercial aviation, automotive manufacturing, and the chemical industry, in finding ways to reduce error.  

During the same session, Ms. El Akoum presented findings from the WISH report, shared Qatar’s research experience in patient safety, perceptions of safety culture among nurses, and WISH’s initiative ‘Academy for Emerging Leaders in Patient Safety’, which was hosted in collaboration with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health and US-based MedStar Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on any given day in the US, 1 in every 25 patients contract at least one infection during their hospital stay, with as many as 440,000 patients dying each year from medical errors. Moreover, according to a World Health Organization statistic published this August, patient death occurring due to a preventable medical accident, while receiving healthcare, is estimated to be 1 in 300.

“These alarming numbers emphasize the need for changing the underlying systems of care, in order to reduce the occurrence of errors. Equally important is to cultivate a non-punitive culture of safety, that rewards error reporting and transparency within an organization,” said Ms. El Akoum.

“WISH’s research efforts in Qatar have shown that nurses play a critical role in ensuring patient safety through their increased interaction with both the patients as well as the care processes, allowing them to identify the inherent weaknesses in the system. Therefore, it is crucial for nurses to feel safe and empowered to speak up and for the system to reward them for doing so.”

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About the World Innovation Summit for Health

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and is under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson.

The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of ongoing initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research, and industry. 

Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the world’s most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action.

Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.

QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.

QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.

For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa 

For any media inquiries, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa 

© Press Release 2019

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