The Art of Patient Safety

Patient safety is first and foremost the key value of healthcare. Strengthening patient safety requires a proactive patient safety culture. Reacting to incidents is not enough. Accountable and proactive leadership based on risk management, combined with an up-to-date situational picture, is essential. Operational requirements and systemic development alone have not succeeded in bringing about sufficient change in the desired direction. A radical transformation that includes requirements for behaviour is manifestly necessary. The required change is based on a new way of thinking: the art of patient safety. By following and exploring the path presented in this book, you can develop your patient safety skills to complement your knowledge and expertise.

Veli-Matti Heinijoki, Safety Advisor, Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Veli-Matti has a solid background in the Finnish Air Force. After retirement, he has served as a safety consultant and trainer in high-risk industries for twenty years. For the last ten years, he has been working as a leadership and patient safety consultant and trainer in both public and private health care. His personal key interests are leadership in safety, human behaviour, and safety culture as a part of the organisational culture. These interests have guided the writing of this book.