The OECD has provided  this report for the Patient Safety Priority within the G20 Health Working Group.

Key findings:

  • 1 in 10 patients continue to be harmed from safety lapses during their care
  • Unsafe care results in well over 3 million deaths per year
  • The direct costs of treating patients who have been harmed during their care approaches 13% of health spending, this amounts to $606 million per year
  • The indirect economic and social burden of unsafe care and social cost of patient harm can be valued at $1-2 trillion per year
  • Improving safety requires a whole system approach
  • Transparency across a health system is integral to improving safety and reducing harm

If you wish to read further please download the report below