환자안전 관리의 현황과 과제

Current Status and Future Challenges of Patient Safety Improvement in Korea

Patient safety, including drug safety, remains one of major public health issues around the world, even though several advanced countries have made efforts to improve patient safety for a considerable period since Institute of Medicine report. In Korea, patient safety has emerged as one of the major health policy agendas since the enactment of the Patient Safety Act, but its importance is still not fully recognized. In order to improve patient safety, voluntary efforts of health care providers are critical. At the national level supporting these efforts of health care providers to improve patient safety requires the introduction of financial incentives, along with the enactment of laws that can promote patient safety activities. In addition, efforts should be made to enhance the health care providers’ capacity for patient safety activities at the organizational level.