The Ministry of Health of Oman considers patient safety an essential component in delivering quality health care to the community. Implementation of the Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative has raised community awareness of patient safety and increased expectations of patients accessing services. In 2007, a national patient safety team was established and workshops on patient safety have been conducted in many institutions organized by quality assurance and patient safety departments. Initiatives have focused on hospital autonomy and infection control programmes. Infection control policies and procedures have been implemented in hospitals and infection control committees established.
The following phases have been followed in implementing the patient safety programme.
Phase 1, 2009–2010
- Assess the system in place that secures delivery of safe health care in primary, secondary and tertiary health care institutions and proposes corrective and preventive actions, when necessary.
- Assess patient safety culture and awareness among health care professionals.
Phase 2, 2010–2011
- Develop patient safety training schedule for key figures as well as for selected staff at institutional level.
- Identify and train national key figures on patient safety.
- Raise awareness on developing patient safety indicators.
- Conduct risk management and assessment.
Phase 3, 2012–2013
- Develop and launch national patient safety indicators.
- Implement patient safety solutions (3–4 solutions).
- Develop national patient safety standards.
